
Surf Forecasts:
Ahu Ahu Road surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 10 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 14s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 10s period, WSW swell with 6,334 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 10 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 14s period with WSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Ahu Ahu Road this week:
The surf forecast for Ahu Ahu Road over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 1.3m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Ahu Ahu Road in the next 16 days are 5.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Mon 10th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Mon 10th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Sat 15th Aug) | 18ft (5.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Ahu Ahu Road over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – the next few days are a bit of a write-off for Ahu Ahu Road. Saturday morning (August 8th) is a non-starter with onshore winds and messy 5ft WNW swell, energy is weak at 414. The whole weekend stays poor, and Sunday morning actually sees a 12ft NNW swell, but with cross-on wind it’s just a lumpy, dangerous mess (energy hitting 2703). That’s way too big for beginners anyway. Monday’s a bit smaller but still cross-on and choppy. So we’ve got a dry spell of about three days before anything decent shows.
Now, Tuesday morning (August 11th) is where it starts to turn. The wind swings light cross-off from the east, cleaning up a 4ft WSW swell. The period is a solid 13 seconds, so there’s some groundswell quality there, and the energy is moderate (592). That’s the first real window – clean, small, but fun for the experienced crew. Tuesday afternoon gets a bit crossed up, so aim for the morning.
The real standout? Look ahead to Tuesday, August 18th, through to Friday, August 21st. That’s the best run. Tuesday morning has a 7ft WSW swell, 13-second period, clean and offshore from the east. Energy is strong (1754). The water temp is sitting around 57°F, which is about average for this time of year – no surprises there. By Tuesday afternoon and into Wednesday, we’ve got offshore winds, 7ft to 6ft swell, and excellent conditions. Thursday morning (August 20th) is a beauty: 5ft WSW swell, 15-second period, gentle offshore wind, clean as a whistle. Energy is strong (1951). Friday morning (August 21st) keeps it going with moderate offshore wind and a 6ft WSW swell, before glassing off in the afternoon – that afternoon session is pure gold with only 939 energy but glassy conditions.
Crowds? Ahu Ahu Road is a beach and reef setup, and it’s rated as “sometimes” crowded. It’s inconsistent for a spot like this, but when it’s on, it’s worth it.
The swell direction from the WSW is bang on the optimum, so the waves will have proper shape. The long periods (13-15 seconds) mean better energy and longer waits between sets, making paddle-outs easier. But remember, a long period swell at a beach break like this can break a bit straight, so pick your peak.
The second week holds. Saturday, August 22nd, is glassy morning with 5ft WSW swell, 15-second period, clean. Sunday, August 23rd, has a 3ft WSW swell with an 18-second period – that’s very long, smooth groundswell, and clean with light cross-off wind. Small but sweet.
One thing: on Saturday, August 15th, we get a massive 18ft WSW swell with 25 mph cross-winds. That’s pure chaos – only for the insane, if anyone. The energy is 6334, which is very strong. For a beach and reef setup in those conditions, it’s more of a kite-surfing show than a paddle.
So in short: forget the first few days. Tuesday morning, August 11th, is your first good look. But the real gold is from Tuesday, August 18th, through Friday, August 22nd – clean, offshore, solid groundswell, and the best conditions of the whole 16-day run. The water’s about average temp for this time of year, no anomalies.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun afternoon, min 10°C on Sat night). Mainly strong winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 10°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WSW 18 | NNW 10 | NNW 10 | WSW 11 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 18 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | W 12 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
280 | 274 | 511 | 2021 | 1024 | 387 | 838 | 784 | 834 | 506 | 414 | 251 | 404 | 291 | 193 | 255 | 668 | 499 | 724 | 651 | 678 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 5:26PM2.60m | 5:59AM2.58m | 6:44PM2.73m | 7:14AM2.70m | 7:50PM2.93m | 8:16AM2.88m | 8:45PM3.14m | 9:09AM3.04m | 9:33PM3.31m | 9:56AM3.16m | 10:18PM3.41m | 10:39AM3.22m | 11:00PM3.42m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:06AM0.68m | 11:48PM0.76m | 12:21PM0.61m | 1:02AM0.61m | 1:29PM0.45m | 2:06AM0.41m | 2:27PM0.27m | 3:00AM0.21m | 3:18PM0.10m | 3:49AM0.05m | 4:05PM-0.01m | 4:34AM-0.04m | 4:49PM-0.04m | ||||||||
7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | |
— | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | 11 | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | 1 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
Temp °C | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
Feels °C | 8 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | NNW 10 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | N 6 | WSW 16 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | W 12 | W 11 | WSW 16 | NNW 10 | WSW 8 |
280 | 274 | 511 | 2021 | 1024 | 354 | 838 | 784 | 834 | 506 | 414 | 202 | 119 | 291 | 158 | 255 | 668 | 459 | 724 | 419 | 678 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 18 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 11 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | WSW 20 | WSW 18 | WSW 17 | WNW 13 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | W 10 | WSW 14 | WSW 16 |
64 | 57 | 448 | 498 | 405 | 387 | 141 | 76 | 147 | 68 | 301 | 251 | 404 | 33 | 193 | 229 | 493 | 499 | 162 | 651 | 397 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 19 | WSW 19 | S 11 | W 19 | W 7 | WSW 14 | S 10 | S 10 | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | WSW 7 | WSW 6 | S 8 | S 7 | WSW 19 | WSW 18 | N 5 | WSW 13 | N 6 | WSW 18 | WSW 13 |
70 | 125 | 2 | 184 | 54 | 207 | 2 | 2 | 33 | 18 | 26 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 124 | 180 | 16 | 35 | 46 | 352 | 219 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NNE 4 | NNE 5 | — | — | — | WSW 8 | WSW 7 | — | — | — | NE 3 | — | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | NNE 5 | NNE 4 | — | — | — |
— | 15 | 95 | — | — | — | 335 | 228 | — | — | — | 2 | — | 100 | 46 | 23 | 22 | 15 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 44 | 37 | 37 | 222 | 24 | 81 | 229 | 213 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 32 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Taranaki | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Ahu Ahu Road Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Ahu Ahu Road provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Ahu Ahu Road can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Ahu Ahu Road 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 (Ahu Ahu Road) 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 Ahu Ahu Road 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 Taranaki? If you are looking for accommodation near Ahu Ahu Road, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Taranaki, consider staying in New Plymouth which is 18 km (11 miles) away.











