
Surf Forecasts:
Whangara surf forecast from 28 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 2 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, S swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 2 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, S swell with 2,657 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 29 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 13s period with SE 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 Wednesday (Jul 29) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.2m and 13s 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 3.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 02) at 9PM. 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 12s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 02) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Wed 29th Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whangara over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Rightio, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks. The main player here is Whangara, a beach and reef setup that’s fairly exposed to the east-northeast. The water’s sitting at about 57°, which is a touch under 1° cooler than usual for this time of year – nothing too wild, just a bit on the nippy side.
We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but things kick off properly on Wednesday the 29th. The morning is the pick of the early week, with a 7ft swell from the southeast, a 12-second period, and a light WNW breeze that’s cross-offshore. The water’s going to be clean, and the combined energy is sitting at 1327 – that’s moderate to strong energy, so there’s some proper push behind it. The swell is a bit over 5ft, so it’s not for beginners, but it’s got some power and shape. It’s a solid, fun wave.
Then Thursday the 30th steps it up a notch. The morning delivers a 5ft easterly-southeast swell, 12-second period, with a clean NNW offshore breeze. The energy is still decent at 695, and the wind is offshore – that’s a major plus. Clean, lined-up waves. This is your standout window for the first week. The afternoon stays good with 5ft and offshore winds, just a little smaller.
Friday the 31st sees the swell drop to 3ft, but it’s still clean with offshore winds, so it’s a fun, smaller day for the log or a fish.
Now, we hit a dry spell. From Saturday the 1st of August right through to Monday the 3rd, the conditions are poor. The swell drops right off, and the wind is messy and strong. Nothing worth paddling out for.
But then, Monday the 3rd of August afternoon is a real gem. The swell jumps to 8ft from the south-southeast, with an 11-second period, and the wind goes glassy – dead calm. The energy is 1170, so it’s got proper punch. That’s a special session. The wave will be clean, powerful, and have some good shape. This is the standout of the whole forecast. The morning is a bit messier with an 8ft south swell and cross-shore wind, but that afternoon is the one to circle.
The rest of the week goes downhill quickly. The wind turns onshore and strong, and the swell gets too big and messy. By Thursday the 6th of August, the swell is 15ft with a 14-second period, but the wind is cross-shore and lumpy. The energy is massive – 7675 to 8986 – but it’s just too big and blown out for paddle surfing. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
The following week, from the 7th of August onwards, is a write-off. Strong winds, big blown-out swell, and poor conditions. There’s a small window on Wednesday the 12th of August with a 6ft easterly-northeast swell and a clean cross-offshore wind, but the energy is moderate and the period is short at 10 seconds. It’s a maybe, but not a standout.
So, to wrap it up: the best surf is Wednesday the 29th of July morning, and the absolute standout is Monday the 3rd of August afternoon with glassy conditions and a solid 8ft south-southeast swell. Get in the water then.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu morning, min 8°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Sun night. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri morning, min 5°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Fri night, strong winds from the S by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 14 | SE 13 | SE 13 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1250 | 1405 | 1750 | 1327 | 1197 | 964 | 689 | 469 | 394 | 268 | 217 | 128 | 193 | 151 | 125 | 87 | 63 | 2419 | 1633 | 1143 | 597 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | glassy | off |
High Tide | 5:06PM1.37m | 5:23AM1.30m | 5:52PM1.39m | 6:09AM1.31m | 6:37PM1.42m | 6:54AM1.32m | 7:20PM1.44m | 7:38AM1.33m | 8:02PM1.45m | 8:21AM1.34m | 8:43PM1.46m | 9:05AM1.36m | 9:25PM1.46m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:47AM0.31m | 11:21PM0.35m | 11:34AM0.28m | 00:09AM0.32m | 12:21PM0.26m | 00:55AM0.29m | 1:06PM0.24m | 1:40AM0.27m | 1:50PM0.23m | 2:23AM0.24m | 2:33PM0.22m | 3:06AM0.22m | 3:17PM0.22m | ||||||||
7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | |
— | 5:14 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 2 | 9 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 8 |
Feels °C | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | -1 | -1 | -1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 14 | SE 13 | SE 13 | ENE 14 | S 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 |
1250 | 1405 | 1750 | 1327 | 1197 | 964 | 689 | 469 | 394 | 268 | 217 | 128 | 193 | 151 | 125 | 87 | 63 | 20 | 1633 | 1143 | 597 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | S 17 | S 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SE 15 | NNE 6 | E 11 | ESE 12 | ESE 10 | ENE 15 | ENE 15 | SE 12 | ENE 13 | NE 13 | SSW 10 |
57 | 25 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 10 | 146 | 112 | 63 | 33 | 36 | 20 | 63 | 28 | 20 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 17 | 27 | 110 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | S 18 | S 18 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 11 | S 16 | NNE 8 | SE 15 | SSW 11 | ESE 10 | ENE 16 | E 10 | NE 10 | S 19 | S 22 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 |
— | — | — | — | 6 | 26 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 14 | 77 | 39 | 19 | 25 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 38 | 64 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 10 | — | — | — | — | N 4 | NNE 5 | N 5 | N 5 | N 6 | NW 3 | W 3 | SSW 6 | S 10 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | — | — | — |
632 | 479 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 42 | 45 | 59 | 62 | 2 | 2 | 319 | 1432 | 2202 | 2604 | 2419 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 24 | 35 | 17 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 51 | 24 | 20 | 107 | 272 | 17 | 0 | 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.










