Whangara Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.58° S 178.21° E

Whangara Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 pm 08 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Whangara sea temperature is
13.6°C
0.4° 

Whangara surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Whangara surf forecast from 8 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 8 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period, SSE swell with 812 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period with SSE 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 Tuesday (Sep 08) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 2.2m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.5m and 8s is also forecast. 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 2.5m 8s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 16s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 13) at 6AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Tue 8th Sep)8ft (2.5m) 8s
Best Surf 9PM (Tue 8th Sep)8ft (2.5m) 8s
Most Powerful 9PM (Tue 8th Sep)8ft (2.5m) 8s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whangara over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's be real about what we got. It’s gonna be a bit of a slow start, so don’t get too excited just yet.

Right now, we got a messy ocean. Tuesday’s got a solid 10ft of south swell, but the wind is blowin’ cross-shore and killin’ it. It’s all chopped up and lumpy, more of a battle than a surf. The water’s about 57°, which is pretty standard for this time of year.

We gotta ride out a few flat and quiet days. Wednesday morning’s got a little bit of life, with a clean 5ft and glassy conditions, but it’s low on energy. If you’re desperate, you might get a few, but it fades fast. From Thursday through the weekend, it’s a proper flat spell. Tiny waves, barely a ripple. You’re looking at a few days of nothing. It stays quiet through the middle of next week, with only a hint of a bump. This is a long stretch of no-go, so you’d be better off doing some housework.

Now, things start to get interesting around the 19th. Saturday the 19th of September is where it’s at. We’ve got a good push of south swell, coming in at a solid 6ft with an 11-second period. The energy is strong, and with a clean, light offshore wind, that’s the standout session of the whole run. This is for the crew who know what they’re doing, though—6ft is not for the faint of heart, and it could be a bit much for beginners.

The swell holds into Sunday morning, with a still-clean 5ft, but the wind swings around and chops it up in the afternoon. Monday the 21st has some more clean waves, around 4-5ft, but the energy is a bit more moderate. The wind is light and clean, making it a solid choice for a few waves after work.

After that, the wind turns on us again, and we’re back to seeing it get blown out. The long-range stuff for the end of the month is promising but less certain. The pattern looks like it wants to hold some south swell, but we’ll have to see how it all lines up. It’s a promising outlook, but remember, these long-range ones are always a bit of a gamble.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off, but keep your eyes on the 19th. That’s the one with real grunt and clean conditions.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu morning, min 7°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Some drizzle, heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 13°C on Sat morning, min 7°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Tue
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
Saturday
12
Sunday
13
Monday
14
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
2
2
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.5
S
8
2
SSE
8
1.6
SE
8
1.4
SE
8
1.1
SE
7
0.8
SE
7
0.7
SE
8
0.6
SE
7
1.4
SSW
5
0.8
SE
6
0.6
SE
6
0.4
NE
13
0.4
NE
13
0.4
NE
13
0.3
NE
12
0.3
NE
12
0.3
NE
12
0.3
NE
12
0.3
NE
12
0.2
E
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1068
534
306
210
121
77
55
34
99
60
25
44
59
40
23
23
23
22
23
8
Wind (km/h)
25
SW
15
W
5
W
15
NE
15
NNW
20
WNW
10
WNW
20
WSW
25
SSW
15
SW
10
WNW
25
SW
20
S
10
WSW
5
W
10
ENE
10
WNW
5
WSW
15
NE
15
NW
Wind State
cross
cross-off
glassy
cross
off
off
off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
off
High Tide
3:24AM1.45m
3:57PM1.56m
4:24AM1.46m
4:54PM1.57m
5:22AM1.48m
5:49PM1.58m
6:16AM1.51m
6:41PM1.58m
7:08AM1.52m
7:30PM1.57m
7:57AM1.52m
8:18PM1.54m
Low Tide
9:16PM0.17m
9:37AM0.12m
10:16PM0.14m
10:36AM0.11m
11:14PM0.11m
11:34AM0.10m
00:09AM0.08m
12:29PM0.09m
1:00AM0.07m
1:21PM0.10m
1:49AM0.07m
2:11PM0.11m
2:36AM0.10m
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
cloud
light rain
rain showers
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:18
6:16
6:13
6:13
6:11
6:09
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:51
5:51
5:52
5:52
5:53
5:54
5:55
 mm
1
3
1
Temp °C
11
8
12
12
10
16
16
13
10
11
10
13
13
10
13
13
11
13
13
12
Feels °C
6
4
9
8
7
12
13
10
5
8
7
7
9
9
10
10
9
11
9
9
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Whangara:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Whangara surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


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.

Nearest locationNearest