
Surf Forecasts:
Whangara surf forecast from 6 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 11 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, SSE swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 10 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 10s period, SSE swell with 4,176 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 6 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 8s period with NE 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 Monday (Jul 06) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 1.2m and 9s. 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 4.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 10) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.5m 10s period and expected on Friday (Jul 10) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Mon 6th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Sat 11th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Fri 10th Jul) | 15ft (4.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whangara over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks.
It’s a bit of a mixed bag ahead, but there’s a definite window of opportunity if you're patient. The early part of the week is going to be a write-off, but we’ve got a couple of sessions that are worth circling on the calendar.
Monday the 6th and Tuesday the 7th are a total no-go. Monday is a mess with onshore winds and a marginal swell, and while Tuesday morning cleans up a bit with a cross-offshore breeze, the waves are still pretty average. The real story starts Tuesday afternoon (July 7th). That’s when things get interesting. The wind goes glassy, the swell drops to a clean 5 ft from the East with a period of 10 seconds. The energy is moderate at 736, and it's set to be a very clean session. The water is sitting at 58°, which is about normal for this time of year.
Wednesday (July 8th) and Thursday (July 9th) are a total write-off again. The wind swings onshore and the swell gets messy and lumpy. The energy spikes up to 1278 on Thursday afternoon, but it's all wind-chop and rain. Not worth the drive.
Friday (July 10th) is a day to stay well clear. A massive 15 ft swell from the SSE hits in the morning, but it’s accompanied by a strong 25 mph cross-onshore wind. The energy is a massive 4176, but it’s pure chaos. This is kite-surfing territory, not paddle surfing. Swell this big (over 8 ft) is for experts only, and with the wind, it's a mess.
Saturday (July 11th) is still a big day, with a 12 ft swell from the SSE, but the wind is a cross-shore. The energy is 2058, but the forecast literally says it’s too big for this break. Sunday and Monday are just poor, with onshore winds and weak, choppy waves.
The standout of the whole forecast is Tuesday morning, July 13th. This is the one to aim for. We’ve got a clean 4 ft swell from the SE with a light offshore wind from the NW. The energy is a moderate 342, but the conditions are clean and the wind is perfect. The period is a short 8 seconds, so it’s not the most powerful groundswell, but it’ll be fun and clean. It’s a classic, clean, early-morning session.
After that, the swell drops off significantly. We get a few small, clean days with offshore winds around Wednesday the 15th and Thursday the 16th, but the waves are tiny (2 ft to 5 ft) and lack punch. The energy is low, under 500. They’re surfable, but very ordinary.
The final flicker of hope comes early on Monday the 20th, but that gets blown out by a 31 mph wind. Then Tuesday the 21st looks promising again with a clean 5 ft swell from the South and a solid offshore wind. The energy is 345, and it’s clean, but it’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it.
So, the best bet is Tuesday morning, July 13th, at Whangara. It's a beach and reef setup, fairly exposed to the ENE swell. The crowds are 'sometimes' a thing, so expect a few out, but with that offshore wind, it’ll be worth it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon morning, min 9°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 9°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SW on Thu morning, strong winds from the SSW by Fri morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 6 | Tuesday 7 | Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | E 9 | E 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | ESE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
427 | 609 | 485 | 417 | 422 | 707 | 787 | 794 | 850 | 530 | 664 | 3847 | 4176 | 2218 | 3325 | 2049 | 1623 | 1117 | 673 | 580 | 454 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:14AM1.30m | 10:34PM1.42m | 10:59AM1.32m | 11:18PM1.42m | 11:47AM1.35m | 00:06AM1.43m | 12:38PM1.39m | 00:59AM1.44m | 1:34PM1.44m | 1:55AM1.46m | 2:31PM1.50m | 2:54AM1.49m | 3:31PM1.56m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:26PM0.27m | 4:59AM0.24m | 5:10PM0.27m | 5:43AM0.22m | 5:58PM0.26m | 6:29AM0.19m | 6:50PM0.25m | 7:20AM0.16m | 7:46PM0.22m | 8:14AM0.13m | 8:45PM0.19m | 9:11AM0.10m | 9:46PM0.16m | ||||||||
7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | |
— | 4:58 | — | — | 4:59 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:01 | — | |
mm | — | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | 3 | 8 | 3 | — | 3 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 |
Feels °C | 10 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | NE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | ESE 10 | NE 8 | SSW 18 | SE 11 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | SE 9 | S 17 | SE 9 |
166 | 609 | 241 | 417 | 422 | 707 | 787 | 794 | 850 | 530 | 664 | 31 | 134 | 2218 | 53 | 49 | 38 | 62 | 673 | 210 | 454 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 15 | E 9 | SSW 19 | NNE 8 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | NE 8 | NNE 8 | SSW 16 | — | — | — | S 22 | SSW 20 | SSW 14 | S 16 | N 12 | S 15 |
4 | 166 | 71 | 183 | 314 | 294 | 293 | 244 | 132 | 70 | 45 | 99 | — | — | — | 9 | 75 | 40 | 124 | 3 | 343 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 21 | S 13 | SSW 17 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 14 | NE 10 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 10 | — | — | NE 12 |
— | 9 | 3 | 59 | 41 | 38 | 28 | 62 | 4 | 29 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 28 | — | — | 6 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 8 | — | NE 8 | — | — | — | — | SSW 8 | S 12 | S 6 | S 7 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | — | SE 9 | — |
427 | — | 485 | — | — | — | — | 24 | 113 | 154 | 569 | 3847 | 4176 | 2646 | 3325 | 2049 | 1623 | 1117 | — | 580 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 11 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 24 | 35 | 51 | 108 | 110 | 110 | 51 | 51 | 35 | 24 | 24 | 0 |
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.










