Surf Forecasts:
Whangara surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 17s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 11s period, S swell with 7,301 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 8s period with ESE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Whangara this week:
The surf forecast for Whangara over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 8s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Whangara in the next 16 days are 5.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 5.5m 11s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 18ft (5.5m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whangara over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, couple of things I need to be straight with you about. The forecast for the next sixteen days is a bit of a mixed bag, and honestly, there’s a lot of junk to wade through before we get to anything worth getting wet for. The first real bit of hope doesn’t show up until Friday the 21st.
So, after the messy cross-shore chop we’re looking at for the next few days, Friday morning is where it starts to turn on. The wind goes light offshore from the northwest, and you’re looking at a clean 4ft of south-east groundswell. The energy is weak-ish, around 525, but for a spot like Whangara that likes an east-northeast swell, this is a start. It’s surfable, and it’s clean, which is more than we’ve had all week. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing crazy there.
The best of the whole run, though, is the morning of Wednesday the 19th, but I need to be straight with you: the wind is howling from the south at 25 mph and the swell is a solid 18ft from the south. Whangara is exposed to the south, so it’s going to be a washing machine. The energy is pumping – 6863 – but that’s not a surf forecast; that’s a survival test. If you’ve got a death wish, it’s there. For the rest of us, it’s a big fat zero due to the strong cross-onshore wind and mess. Seriously, you’d be better off watching from the cliff.
After that, it drops away pretty quickly. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd have some clean, offshore mornings, but the swell is tiny – 1ft to 2ft – and the energy is weak. It’s the kind of day you take the log out and just enjoy the glide, but you’re not going to be getting barrelled.
Then we hit a long, flat spell. From the 24th right through to the end of the run on the 2nd of September, it’s grim. We’re talking knee-high slop at best, with the combined energy often dropping into double digits. There are some clean, glassy moments, but with no swell behind them, they’re pointless.
So, the honest takeaway? Friday the 21st is your only real shot at a proper surf in the first week. It’s not big, but it’s clean and it’s rideable. Everything else is either too big and blown out, or just plain flat. If you’re desperate for a paddle, grab the longboard on Sunday morning, but don’t expect much. After that, it’s a blank run for a week or more. It happens. The ocean will come back around.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Tue night. Very mild (max 12°C on Thu morning, min 7°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SW on Tue night, light winds from the WSW by Thu night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat afternoon, min 10°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SE 10 | S 11 | S 11 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | S 17 | S 16 | ESE 10 | S 16 | SE 9 | SE 8 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | ESE 12 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 14 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 626 | 344 | 0 | 6542 | 664 | 640 | 293 | 162 | 148 | 262 | 178 | 127 | 29 | 18 | 152 | 81 | 49 | 30 | 34 | 34 | 36 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | off | glassy | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:03AM1.49m | 10:24PM1.49m | 10:52AM1.45m | 11:11PM1.43m | 11:39AM1.41m | 11:58PM1.37m | 12:27PM1.37m | 00:46AM1.32m | 1:15PM1.34m | 1:34AM1.29m | 2:05PM1.32m | 2:23AM1.27m | 2:54PM1.32m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:16PM0.15m | 4:42AM0.14m | 5:05PM0.21m | 5:28AM0.20m | 5:52PM0.27m | 6:13AM0.26m | 6:39PM0.32m | 6:59AM0.30m | 7:27PM0.36m | 7:46AM0.33m | 8:16PM0.38m | 8:35AM0.34m | 9:07PM0.39m | ||||||||
 | |  | |  |  |  |  |  | | | | | |  | | | | | |  | |
 | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — |
 | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — |
mm | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 14 |
Feels °C | 1 | -1 | -1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SE 10 | — | ESE 13 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | S 8 | S 13 | S 12 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 8 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 |
| kJ | 626 | 344 | — | 18 | 664 | 640 | 293 | 162 | 401 | 794 | 389 | 473 | 344 | 262 | 152 | 81 | 49 | 17 | 101 | 536 | 478 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 10 | E 10 | — | — | SE 14 | — | SSW 13 | S 13 | ESE 9 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | S 17 | ESE 13 | ESE 14 |
| kJ | 31 | 18 | — | — | 47 | — | 627 | 166 | 129 | 242 | 178 | 68 | 29 | 18 | 31 | 34 | 33 | 30 | 280 | 34 | 36 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 13 | S 17 | S 16 | S 16 | S 16 | E 15 | E 14 | ESE 8 | NE 13 | N 8 | N 4 | ESE 13 | N 5 | NE 11 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | 148 | 262 | 386 | 127 | 4 | 15 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 34 | 2 | 5 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 9 | S 10 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 14 | S 8 | S 9 | — | — | — | NW 2 | W 3 | — | NW 3 | N 3 | NNW 3 | W 4 | W 4 | W 3 | WNW 3 |
| kJ | 809 | 3067 | 7156 | 6542 | 3696 | 3071 | 522 | 708 | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | 2 | 7 | 5 | 13 | 20 | 1 | 5 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 108 | 110 | 109 | 110 | 110 | 20 | 24 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 11 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 32 | 12 | 11 | 32 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Whangara Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Whangara provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Whangara can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Whangara surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Whangara) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Whangara may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a holiday in Gisborne and Mahia? If you are looking for accommodation near Whangara, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Gisborne and Mahia, consider staying in Gisborne which is 22 km (14 miles) away.
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