Opunake tides today
- Tide now 10.1 ft ↑ rising · high 12:38 pm (12.0 ft)
- Best time tomorrow 7:20–8:30 pm poor day · 1/10
- Beach day Not today Not a beach day · 0/10
- Waves · water 9.6 ft · 60 °F rough · 7.8 s from the west
- Wind · air 28 mph · 60 °F from the WNW, gusts 46 · light drizzle
- Surf today 5.7–8.8 ft Poor day · 2/10 · 3:00–5:00 pm
- Sun 6:19 am–7:58 pm 13 h 39 min of daylight
- Moon 89% · 11:55 pm waning gibbous · rises at 11:55 pm
Today in Opunake there are high tides at 12:13 am (11.7 ft) and 12:38 pm (12.0 ft) and low tides at 6:32 am and 6:57 pm. Tide coefficient 94. Right now the tide is rising toward the high tide at 12:38 pm. The sun rises at 6:19 am and sets at 7:58 pm: 13 h 39 min of daylight. The moon is 89% illuminated (waning gibbous) and rises at 11:55 pm. Major solunar periods run from 2:19 am to 4:19 am and from 2:51 pm to 4:51 pm. The next spring tides arrive from October 27 to 29. The sea is rough, with 9.6 ft waves. There's a strong breeze from the west-northwest (28 mph). Light drizzle, 60 °F.
Fishing in Opunake today
Best time to fish
Solunar activity today: medium- Low tide at 6:32 am
- Minor period 7:20–8:20 am (moonset)
- Sunrise at 6:19 am
- Falling pressure (−0.22 inHg in 24 h), fresh cross-shore wind (22 mph) and rough sea: 9.1 ft waves
- Waning gibbous: a bit more activity than at the quarters
- Highest tide coefficient today: 94 (spring tides)
Your day at a glance
The best window, 5:50 am to 7:30 am, combines the 6:32 am low tide, moonset, sunrise and falling pressure, though with fresh wind and rough seas.
Species with the most records nearby: Australasian snapper, tope shark, John Dory and shortfin mako. October is one of the months when these are seen most: tope shark. What you can catch
Beach day in Opunake
Is it a beach day?
- Sun and clouds
- UV 5 (moderate): SPF 30 sunscreen
- Low tide at 6:32 am: more sand
- Low tide at 6:57 pm: more sand
- Feels like 50 °F: chilly for the beach
- Rain (0.21 in)
Dangerous surf during beach hours. Stay out if the red flag is up, and never swim where there is no lifeguard.
Today, hour by hour
- Swimming Dangerous · 11 ft
11 ft waves every 9 s: dangerous for swimming. Stay out if the red flag is up. High rip current risk. If you're caught in a rip current, don't swim against it: swim parallel to shore and wave for help. Always follow the lifeguard's flags.
- Water 60 °F
Cold: ease in slowly.
- Sun & sunscreen UV 5 · SPF 30
Max UV 5 (moderate): SPF 30 sunscreen, reapplied every 2 hours.
- Wind 29 mph
Strong onshore wind (29 mph): blowing sand.
- Tide & sand 6:57 pm
Low tide at 6:32 am and 6:57 pm: that's when there's the most sand. High tide at 12:13 am and 12:38 pm. Coefficient 94 (spring tides): little sand left at high tide.
We don't have data on jellyfish, sargassum or beach closures: ask the lifeguard or check with the local beach authority. How it works · The next 7 days
Beaches near Opunake
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Opunake Beach 0.3 mi · SW
- Restrooms
- Parking
- Middleton Bay 0.6 mi · W
- Restrooms
- Parking
Named beaches within 6.2 mi, nearest first. Amenities from OpenStreetMap: some may be missing or out of date. View on OpenStreetMap · Add or fix on OpenStreetMap
Beaches and amenities: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Webcams near Opunake
Webcams provided by windy.com — add a webcam
Tides in Opunake
Today's high and low tides
- ▲ High tide 12:13 am 11.7 ft · coef. 94
- ▼ Low tide 6:32 am 0.3 ft
- ▲ Next high tide 12:38 pm 12.0 ft · coef. 91
- ▼ Low tide 6:57 pm 0.8 ft
↑ Rising The tide is rising. 1 h 43 min to high tide at 12:38 pm.
Tide coefficient 94 for the 12:13 am high tide and 91 for the 12:38 pm high tide. Spring tides. The water rises and falls 11.8 ft between the highest high and the lowest low: a large range for this place. 70 is an average tide here; 90 and above means spring tides; below 45, neap tides. What is the tide coefficient?
2026 extremes: the highest tide of the year is on December 26 (12.6 ft) and the lowest, on August 14 (-0.1 ft).
Semidiurnal: two high and two low tides a day, of similar height.
Heights above chart datum (CD), the zero of that port's nautical charts. Astronomical prediction: wind and air pressure can raise or lower the water by a few inches, and more in a storm. Not for navigation. chart datum (CD)
Tide coefficient and range in October
The biggest tides of the month came from October 26 to 28 (coefficient 97, 12.3 ft range). The smallest, on October 19 (coefficient 36, 4.8 ft).
Tide and solunar table · this week
| Day | Sun | Tide 1 | Tide 2 | Tide 3 | Tide 4 | Coef. | Moon | Major periods | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today, Thu 29 | 6:19 am · 7:58 pm | High tide 12:13 am · 11.7 ft | Low tide 6:32 am · 0.3 ft | High tide 12:38 pm · 12.0 ft | Low tide 6:57 pm · 0.8 ft | Coef. 94 | 89% | Major periods 2:19 am · 2:51 pm | Medium |
| Fri 30 | 6:18 am · 7:59 pm | High tide 1:03 am · 11.3 ft | Low tide 7:21 am · 0.8 ft | High tide 1:28 pm · 11.5 ft | Low tide 7:51 pm · 1.3 ft | Coef. 87 | 81% | Major periods 3:23 am · 3:56 pm | Medium |
| Sat 31 | 6:16 am · 8:01 pm | High tide 1:59 am · 10.6 ft | Low tide 8:14 am · 1.4 ft | High tide 2:25 pm · 10.9 ft | Low tide 8:51 pm · 1.9 ft | Coef. 76 | 71% | Major periods 4:27 am · 4:58 pm | Medium |
| Sun 1 | 6:15 am · 8:02 pm | High tide 3:01 am · 10.0 ft | Low tide 9:13 am · 2.1 ft | High tide 3:30 pm · 10.3 ft | Low tide 9:58 pm · 2.4 ft | Coef. 66 | 60% | Major periods 5:28 am · 5:57 pm | Medium |
| Mon 2 | 6:14 am · 8:03 pm | High tide 4:11 am · 9.5 ft | Low tide 10:20 am · 2.6 ft | High tide 4:44 pm · 9.9 ft | Low tide 11:10 pm · 2.6 ft | Coef. 58 | Last quarter | Major periods 6:25 am · 6:51 pm | Medium |
| Tue 3 | 6:13 am · 8:04 pm | High tide 5:25 am · 9.4 ft | Low tide 11:34 am · 2.9 ft | High tide 5:59 pm · 9.9 ft | — | Coef. 56 | 38% | Major periods 7:16 am · 7:41 pm | Medium |
| Wed 4 | 6:12 am · 8:05 pm | Low tide 12:21 am · 2.5 ft | High tide 6:37 am · 9.5 ft | Low tide 12:47 pm · 2.7 ft | High tide 7:06 pm · 10.2 ft | Coef. 60 | 28% | Major periods 8:04 am · 8:27 pm | Medium |
▲ high tide · ▼ low tide · heights above chart datum (CD). Major periods: start time; they last 2 hours. Activity: based on the moon phase and the solunar periods.
Where this tide comes from
Tides from the Ōpunake Bay station (LINZ), 0.9 mi from Opunake. Times and heights are its predictions. It is a NOAA subordinate station: its times and heights come from the Port Taranaki reference station with the official corrections.
Station data attribution: This work is based on Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand data which are licensed by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Modified: secondary port of the LINZ Secondary Ports table 2026-27 (https://www.linz.govt.nz/products-services/tides-and-tidal-streams/tide-predictions), computed by TidePlanet with the LINZ method from the harmonic constants of Port Taranaki in the Slackwater database (https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database).
The sea at Opunake
Sea stateSea state: rough
The waves you may find
- Most commonMost common4.8 ft
- Significant9.6 ft
- Highest expectedHighest19 ft
One wave in seven is higher than the significant height, and about 3 times a day one reaches 19 ft. Before heading out, expect waves of up to 19 ft.
Wind on the coast and offshore
Cross-onshore wind. The coast faces southwest and the wind comes in from the sea at an angle: a bit more surf at the shore and drift along the coast, toward land.
Wave height, next 7 daysWaves, next 7 days
Waves build over the next few days. The biggest waves arrive on Friday 30: 18 ft with a period of 11 s, from the west-southwest (very rough).
Water temperature
Water temperature →Water temperature changes how fish behave: in very cold or very warm water they feed less. The water is steady these days, with no sudden changes.
Satellite: NASA MUR (JPL MUR MEaSUREs, PO.DAAC), doi:10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04. Sources and licenses
Water temperature →Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 10:56 am (local time).
Surf in Opunake today
Surf today
Poor- 5.3–8.1 ft surf at the shore, a good size with some punch
- Big surf (8.1 ft): for experienced surfers
- 6.2 ft swell at 8 s from the west-southwest, short: weak, messy waves
- 6.4 ft wind swell at 5 s: messy waves
- Fresh cross-shore wind (21 mph): a bit of chop
- Falling tide (low tide at 6:32 am)
Big surf: for experienced surfers only. If in doubt, stay on the beach.
- Light: First light 5:50 am · sunrise 6:19 am · sunset 7:58 pm · last light 8:27 pm
- Tide: high 12:13 am (11.7 ft), low 6:32 am (0.3 ft), high 12:38 pm (12.0 ft) and low 6:57 pm (0.8 ft). Every break has its own tide: some work at low tide and others at high tide. The tide doesn’t change the score here.
- Water at 59.5 °F: a 4/3 fullsuit (booties if you run cold).
- Energy: 651 kJ · High power
Today’s surf at a glance
The best window, 6:00 am to 8:00 am, has a good size, though with big surf, a short-period swell, wind swell and cross-shore wind. 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm can also work, with a good size, though with big surf, wind swell and onshore wind.
An estimate for this stretch of coast, not for a specific break: every beach or reef works its own way (its tide, bottom and angle). Check it when you get there.
Follow the flags and the lifeguards, and don’t paddle out if the surf is above your level: this score is a guide, not a substitute for what you see when you get there.
Diving in Opunake today
Diving and snorkeling today
Likely visibility: poor- Slack water around low tide (6:32 am): little current from 6:10 am to 6:50 am
- 5.9 ft swell at 8 s from the west-southwest: strong surge on the bottom
- Fresh cross-shore wind (22 mph)
- 0.2 mph current toward the north, weak (model)
- Daylight
Not a day for shore diving: swell, wind, current or storms during the best window. If you go, go with a dive shop and only if they give the OK.
- Slack water today: high tide 12:13 am (11:50 pm–12:40 am), low tide 6:32 am (6:10–6:50 am), high tide 12:38 pm (12:10–1:00 pm) and low tide 6:57 pm (6:30–7:20 pm)
- Likely visibility: poor. Swell (up to 8.7 ft at 8 s) and wind over the last few days have stirred up the water. Based on the last 24 hours of data.
- Water at 59.5 °F: a 7 mm wetsuit, with hood and booties.
- Snorkeling: better not, with these waves, wind or current.
- Night dive: dark from 8:27 pm. Waning gibbous (89%), rising at 11:55 pm: a bright night.
Your diving day at a glance
The best window, 6:20 am to 7:20 am, combines slack water at low tide and weak current, though with a big swell and fresh wind. Also worth a look from 11:50 am to 12:30 pm, with slack water at high tide and the sun high, though with some swell, strong wind and current.
Slack water comes from the tide: in inlets, channels and between islands the water can keep running for an hour or two after. Ask the local dive shop.
Never dive alone and check with the local dive shop: this rating is a guide, not a substitute for a professional.
Dive sites, wrecks and dive shops nearby
We have no dive sites, dive shops or wrecks on record within 12 mi of Opunake.
If you know one, you can add it to OpenStreetMap and it will show up here after the next update. Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Sites: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Weather in Opunake
Now in Opunake
- Low / high
- 53 / 60 °F
- Rain
- 0.28 in · 100%
- Clouds
- 82%
- Humidity
- 75%
- Dew pointDew point
- 52 °F
- Visibility
- 15 mi
- UV indexUV
- 4 · moderate
- Air qualityAir
- Fair · 37
- Saharan dust
- No
Pressure and fishing
- ↗ RisingRising Anglers say fish bite less for a while
- → SteadySteady · now Anglers expect normal activity
- ↘ FallingFalling Anglers say fish feed more before the change
Steady now (−0.02 inHg in 3 hours). Over the next 48 hours: +0.56 inHg. Steady pressure: anglers expect normal activity. Fast changes, either way, tend to affect fishing.
Today, hour by hourHour by hour
Bars: mean wind. Dashed line: gusts. Arrows point where the wind blows to.
| Time | 12:00 am | 3:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:00 am | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 9:00 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky | Light drizzle | Clear | Light drizzle | Light drizzle | Light drizzle | Light rain | Mainly clear | Light drizzle |
| Temperature | 55° | 54° | 55° | 58° | 60° | 59° | 56° | 54° |
| Wind (mph) | 20 WNW | 19 WNW | 21 NW | 26 NW | 29 WNW | 23 W | 21 W | 19 W |
| Gusts | 34 | 32 | 32 | 40 | 48 | 44 | 37 | 32 |
| Waves | 9.0 ft | 9.3 ft | 9.1 ft | 9.3 ft | 9.8 ft | 10 ft | 11 ft | 12 ft |
| Rain | 0.01 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.02 in | 0.05 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in |
- 12:00 pm 60° 29 WNW 9.8 ft
- 3:00 pm 59° 23 W 10 ft
- 6:00 pm 56° 21 W 11 ft
- 9:00 pm 54° 19 W 12 ft
- 12:00 am 53° 20 W 12 ft
- 3:00 am 52° 18 W 13 ft
- 6:00 am 52° 17 W 14 ft
- 9:00 am 56° 24 WNW 14 ft
Next 14 daysComing days
| Day | Sky | Low / high | Max wind | Max wave | High tides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today · 29 | 53 / 60 °F | 29 mph WNW | 12 ft | 12:13 am · 12:38 pm | |
| Fri 30 | 52 / 59 °F | 29 mph W | 18 ft | 1:03 am · 1:28 pm | |
| Sat 31 | 47 / 58 °F | 20 mph WSW | 17 ft | 1:59 am · 2:25 pm | |
| Sun 1 | 51 / 62 °F | 16 mph NW | 9.6 ft | 3:01 am · 3:30 pm | |
| Mon 2 | 52 / 67 °F | 18 mph NNW | 5.8 ft | 4:11 am · 4:44 pm | |
| Tue 3 | 57 / 68 °F | 15 mph NNW | 5.8 ft | 5:25 am · 5:59 pm | |
| Wed 4 | 58 / 71 °F | 8 mph NNW | 5.4 ft | 6:37 am · 7:06 pm | |
| Thu 5 | 61 / 69 °F | 17 mph NNW | 4.9 ft | 7:42 am · 8:02 pm | |
| Fri 6 | 63 / 67 °F | 18 mph NW | 4.3 ft | 8:35 am · 8:49 pm | |
| Sat 7 | 63 / 71 °F | 20 mph N | 6.9 ft | 9:20 am · 9:31 pm | |
| Sun 8 | 57 / 65 °F | 22 mph NW | 7.2 ft | 10:01 am · 10:10 pm | |
| Mon 9 | 55 / 60 °F | 21 mph SE | 10 ft | 10:38 am · 10:46 pm | |
| Tue 10 | 53 / 61 °F | 13 mph SE | 9.5 ft | 11:13 am · 11:22 pm | |
| Wed 11 | 53 / 62 °F | 19 mph WNW | 7.9 ft | 11:47 am · 11:57 pm |
- Fri 30 Heavy drizzle 52° / 59° 18 ft
- Sat 31 Light drizzle 47° / 58° 17 ft
- Sun 1 Partly cloudy 51° / 62° 9.6 ft
- Mon 2 Light drizzle 52° / 67° 5.8 ft
- Tue 3 Light drizzle 57° / 68° 5.8 ft
- Wed 4 Light drizzle 58° / 71° 5.4 ft
- Thu 5 Light drizzle 61° / 69° 4.9 ft
Each day comes from the best model covering this spot: regional ones first (HRRR and NBM in the U.S., AROME, ICON-EU), then ECMWF; day 16, NOAA GFS. Waves: Météo-France up to day 10, then ECMWF WAM, coarser and further offshore. High tides: our own tide calculation.
- Normal Today, cooler than normal for late October (−3.2 °F; normal high: 63 °F). Climate by month →
Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 10:56 am (local time).
The sun in Opunake
Sunrise and sunset
- First light 5:16 am
- Full dark 9:02 pm
- Civil dawn 5:50 am
- Civil dusk 8:27 pm
- Solar noon 1:08 pm (64° high)
- Daylight 13 h 39 min (+2 min)
- Evening golden hour 7:22 pm
- Full dark 9:02 pm
Golden hour and the day-night map
Today the sun is 92,347,255 mi away and looks 32′ 11″ across.
The moon in Opunake
Moon phase and position
Today the moon is 226,442 mi away and looks 32′ 47″ across.
Solunar periods
Today's activity: medium- 2:19–4:19 am Major · the moon passes overhead · high activity
- 2:51–4:51 pm Major · the moon passes underfoot · high activity
- 7:20–8:20 am Minor · moonset · medium activity
- 11:25 pm–12:25 am Minor · moonrise · medium activity
According to solunar theory, fish feed more when the moon passes overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 h) and when it rises or sets (minor periods, 1 h). It works best around new and full moon.
Upcoming moon phases
2026 moon calendar →- Last quarter Mon, Nov 2 · 9:29 amNov 2 in 4 days
- New moon Mon, Nov 9 · 8:03 pmNov 9 in 11 days
- First quarter Wed, Nov 18 · 12:48 amNov 18 in 20 days
- Full moon Wed, Nov 25 · 3:54 amNov 25 in 27 days
Perigee on October 29, 226,426 mi away, coinciding with the spring tides from October 27 to 29: they will be stronger than usual.
Where to fish in Opunake
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
Within 9.3 mi. A spot may be missing or closed. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.
Water depth
Shallow, gradualShallow, gradual bottom: you need to go 1.1 mi out for 33 ft of water.
From the shoreline (0.25 mi from Opunake) out to sea, heading southwest.
How far from shore
- 16 ft deep0.65 mi
- 33 ft deep1.1 mi
- 66 ft deep1.5 mi
- 164 ft deepnot within 3.1 mi
For fishing, swimming and diving
- Shore fishing. Shallow, gradual bottom (16 ft at 0.65 mi): cast far from the beach and fish the high tide, when there is more water close in.
- Swimming. A very gentle way in with plenty of shallow water, good for kids. At low tide the water can be far out.
- Diving. Shallow near shore: you only reach 33 ft at 1.1 mi. For dives deeper than 33 ft, go by boat.
Rough estimate: here the data comes in cells of about 0.3 mi and misses details near shore (rocks, sandbars, small coves).
Source: NOAA ETOPO 2022 (CC0), cells of about 0.3 mi; depth below mean sea level. For reference only: not for navigation or anchoring.
Tides near OpunakeTides nearby
- Rahotu9.0 mi
- Oakura24 mi
- Spotswood28 mi
- Frankleigh Park28 mi
- Vogeltown29 mi
- Moturoa29 mi
- Westown29 mi
- Welbourn29 mi
- New Plymouth29 mi
- Merrilands30 mi
Opunake at a glance
- Town or city of about 1,495 people. Coordinates: 39.456° S, 173.858° E.
- It is 29 mi southwest of New Plymouth, the main place in Taranaki. The sun rises at the same time and sets 2 min later than in New Plymouth.
- The nearest tide station, Ōpunake Bay, is 0.9 mi to the southwest.
- Its coast faces southwest.
Questions about OpunakeQuestions
What time is high tide today in Opunake?
Today in Opunake there are high tides at 12:13 am (11.7 ft) and 12:38 pm (12.0 ft) and low tides at 6:32 am and 6:57 pm. Tide coefficient 94.
What time is sunset today in Opunake?
At 7:58 pm. There is light until the end of civil twilight, at 8:27 pm.
What time is sunrise tomorrow in Opunake?
At 6:18 am. First light comes at 5:15 am.
What phase is the moon today?
Waning gibbous, 89% illuminated. New moon on Mon, Nov 9 · 8:03 pm.
When are the next spring tides?
From October 27 to 29, together with the lunar perigee: they will be stronger than usual.
What are today's solunar periods?
Major 2:19–4:19 am, Minor 7:20–8:20 am, Major 2:51–4:51 pm, Minor 11:25 pm–12:25 am. Today's activity is medium.
What's the weather like today in Opunake?
Light rain, from 53 °F to 60 °F, with a strong breeze from the west-northwest (28 mph) and a 100% chance of rain.
How is the sea today in Opunake?
Rough (Douglas 5): 9.6 ft waves with a period of 7.8 s from the west. The water is 59.7 °F.
When is the best time to visit Opunake?
The best time to visit Opunake is from January to February: highs of 72 °F, about 8 rainy days a month and 8 hours of sunshine a day.
Can I use this data for navigation?
No. These are predictions for fishing and leisure; for navigation, use the official publications.
Where this data comes from
Tide: Ōpunake Bay secondary port, computed by TidePlanet with the time and height differences of the LINZ secondary ports table on Port Taranaki. This work is based on Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand data which are licensed by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand for re-use under the CC BY 4.0 licence; via Slackwater database. Sun and moon: our own calculation with astronomy-engine. Places: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Coastline: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).