Whangara Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for the next couple of weeks around Whangara.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but it’s not all doom and gloom. The first few days are looking pretty average, with a bit of a wait for the real action. The water temp is sitting at 56°, which is basically what you’d expect for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real chance to get wet comes on Friday morning, 21 August. Whangara is a beach and reef setup, and it’s a fairly exposed spot. Early Friday, we’ll see a clean 4 ft S swell rolling in with a period of 9 seconds. The key here is the wind – a light 3 mph offshore from the NW. That’s the ticket. It’s not going to be huge, but it’ll be clean and there’s a decent amount of energy in the water (combined energy of 453). It’s a solid option for a morning session. The crowds are a possibility here, so keep an eye out.

Saturday morning, 22 August, is a bit of a mixed bag. The swell is tiny, only 1 ft from the ESE, with weak energy (35). The wind is offshore from the WNW at 12 mph, so it’ll be clean, but there’s just not enough wave to get excited about.

Our best bet is looking like Saturday afternoon, 22 August. The wind drops to a glassy 3 mph offshore from the NW, and we get a 4 ft S swell pushing in with a nice long period of 12 seconds. That’s proper groundswell. The combined energy is moderate at 351. This is the standout of the first week. The long period will make for some proper shaped waves, and with the offshore breeze, it’ll be clean. It’s the session to aim for.

Sunday, 23 August, is surfable but ordinary. The morning offers 2 ft S swell with a 12 mph offshore, and the afternoon is similar with 2 ft. The energy is weak (146 and 113), so it’s a bit of a grovel.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Monday, 24 August, right through to Thursday, 27 August, the swell energy is tiny and the waves are just too small to bother with – we’re looking at combined energy figures in the 20s and 30s. A real lull.

Things start to perk up again on Friday morning, 28 August. We’ve got a 4 ft S swell with a 16-second period – that’s a very long period groundswell. The energy jumps up to 688. The wind is a cross-offshore from the NNE at 12 mph, keeping things clean. This is a long-range call, so it’s a bit less certain, but it looks promising. Because of that long period, it’ll be best for the reef setup; the power will be there, but it might be a bit walled-up if you try to take it on the beach.

The rest of the outlook into the first week of September is a bit of a write-off, with strong, messy winds from the south and building onshore chop. The swell tries to push through, but the wind will ruin it for us. The combined energy gets up to 1141 on Tuesday, 1 September, but with a 19 mph cross-onshore, it’s going to be a lumpy, choppy mess. That kind of energy in the water with that wind? That’s more of a kite-surfing show than a paddle surfing one.

So, to wrap it up: Friday morning, 21 August, is a clean, smaller option, but the real standout is Saturday afternoon, 22 August. That’s the one to circle. The long-range Friday, 28 August, also has potential, but keep your fingers crossed for the wind to hold.

Stay stoked, catch you in the water.

Rusty.

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