Whangara Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's break it down in feet and miles per hour for the crew that thinks that way.

Imperial Units

The pattern for the next 16 days at Whangara is a tale of two halves. The first week or so is a bit of a struggle, with passing swells and messy wind, but then it builds towards a truly epic, albeit huge, climax. The real standout is a window way out there, so keep your eyes peeled.

We kick off on Monday the 10th of August. The afternoon is glassy, with a 3 ft swell from the SSE, but it’s a weak one with a combined energy of just 232. It’s surfable, but nothing to get excited about. The water temp is sitting at 56°F, which is about average for the time of year.

Tuesday the 11th morning is our first proper flicker of hope. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the WSW at 6 mph, and the swell has bumped up to 4 ft from the SSE with a 12-second period, giving it a solid 445 combined energy. The conditions are looking clean. Afternoon gets messy though, so make the most of the morning.

The rest of the week is a bit of a write-off really. Wednesday the 12th has a 4 ft SSE swell, but it’s short period (8 seconds) and cross-shore wind. Thursday and Friday are cross-off or cross-shore with marginal conditions. Friday the 14th sees a rise in swell to 7 ft from the NE, but the period is a short 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit of a bumpy, unorganized mess.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The weekend of the 15th and 16th of August looks promising. Saturday morning offers a 5 ft ESE swell with a cross-offshore breeze, and the afternoon goes glassy with a 5 ft SE swell. The combined energy is a strong 614, and the conditions are described as "glassy." This is a solid chance for some clean, fun waves. Sunday the 16th, however, is a complete blowout with near gale-force winds of 31 mph, so stay well away.

The following week is a monster. Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th are a write-off with strong winds and massive, messy swell. But then, on Wednesday the 19th of August, the swell goes absolutely nuclear. We’re looking at a 21 ft to 23 ft S swell with a very long period of 16-17 seconds. The combined energy is off the charts at 20,178 and 28,263. This is for experts only, and honestly, it’s probably too big even for them at this beach-and-reef setup. The wind is cross-shore, but the sheer size overshadows everything.

The real standout, the one you want to circle on your calendar, is Friday the 21st of August. The morning shows an 8 ft S swell with a 12-second period, a combined energy of 2448, and a clean offshore breeze from the NW. The optimum swell direction for Whangara is from the ENE, but this S swell is packing some serious punch. The conditions are "excellent for experienced surfers." This is the best on offer. The crowd factor is "sometimes," so you might have some company, but it’ll be worth it.

Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd also have some clean windows, with a glassy 4 ft swell on Saturday morning and a 8 ft S swell with a light offshore on Sunday morning. The rest of the forecast period fades out with onshore winds and messy conditions.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a bit average, but the weekend of the 15th offers a fun, glassy session. The big prize is Friday the 21st of August for the experienced crew. That’s the one to get fired up for.

Rusty.

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