Arawhata Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty here with a look at what’s coming up at Arawhata over the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a nice run of surf ahead, with a few sessions that are gonna be absolute crackers. The water’s sitting at a pretty normal 57°, so nothin’ out of the ordinary on that front.

The first surf to paddle into is Thursday morning, August 13th, with a solid 4ft groundswell out of the WNW, a period of 10 seconds, and clean conditions thanks to a light offshore from the NE. The combined energy is moderate at 529. It’s not the biggest of the run, but with the wind off the land and the reef handling the swell, it’s a good session to get the arms moving. The swell jumps a bit Thursday afternoon, up to 5ft from the WNW with a 12-second period, and the wind goes cross-off from the NNE. The energy cranks up to 1307 – that’s a lot of push – and the forecast says excellent for experienced surfers, so if you’re comfortable, it’s one to lock in.

Friday August 14th sees a drop in quality. The morning has 4ft swell from the WSW with a long 16-second period, but the wind is cross from the SE, and the morning is a bit marginal. The afternoon fades to 3ft with a 14-second period, and cross-shore chop from the SSE. Save your energy.

Saturday August 15th is a write-off. Swell bumps up to 7ft to 8ft from the WSW with periods of 16 to 17 seconds, but the wind is cross-on from the S and SSE, and the energy is huge – 2494 to 2829 – but it’s choppy and messy. Not worth the paddle.

Sunday August 16th is a no-go. The wind is a near gale from the SE at 37 mph, swell hits 13ft with a short 10-second period, and the energy is 5450. That’s not surf, that’s survival. Stay on the beach.

Monday August 17th is a slow recovery. Morning has 7ft from the WSW with a 15-second period, but cross-shore wind from the SSE keeps it average. The afternoon cleans up a bit with a light breeze and 5ft, but it’s cross-on. Not the best.

Now, the standout for the first week is Tuesday morning, August 18th. Clear skies, a light offshore from the ESE at 3 mph, and 6ft of clean WSW groundswell with a 14-second period. The energy is 1018, and the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. The reef at Arawhata is exposed to the SW, and this swell is right in the pocket. It’s gonna be clean, well-shaped, and with the offshore wind, you’ll be trading waves with the birds. The crowds are sometimes an issue, so get out early, but this is the one to aim for.

The rest of the week sees some smaller but clean options. Wednesday August 19th morning has 3ft from the WSW with a 13-second period and clean cross-off wind from the ESE – energy at 1068, so still some grunt for the size. Thursday August 20th morning is similar, with 5ft from the WSW, 14-second period, light cross-off from the ESE, and energy at 931. Friday August 21st has 4ft from the WSW, 13-second period, and clean cross-off from the N. All good, but not as strong as Tuesday.

The second week is a bit more of a mixed bag. Saturday August 22nd and Sunday August 23rd are small and choppy, with swell dropping to 3ft to 3ft. Monday August 24th morning has 3ft from the WSW, 14-second period, and clean cross-off from the N. Tuesday August 25th is windy and small. Wednesday August 26th has a spike to 5ft from the WSW with a 15-second period, but the wind is fresh from the NNE, so it’s clean but not glassy. Energy is 1076.

Then, on Friday August 28th, we get a late burst. A big 13ft to 15ft swell from the W with a period of 10 to 11 seconds, and the wind is glassy from the SW at 3 mph. The energy is huge at 3990 to 5351. This is described as exceptional for expert surfers. It’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it, but if it comes together, Arawhata could be a serious paddle. The reef will handle that size, but at 15ft, it’s strictly for the crew with the big ones.

For the beginner crew, the smaller days around 3ft to 4ft are manageable, but anything over 5ft like Thursday afternoon or the big Friday August 28th is too much. The 7ft+ days are for the experienced.

Overall, Tuesday August 18th is the pick of the first week, and the late Friday August 28th is the long-range promise. Keep your eyes peeled.

Rusty.

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