Surf Forecasts:
Arawhata surf forecast from 8 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 15 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 9 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 10s period, SSE swell with 4,939 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 11 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 14s period with WSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Arawhata this week:
The surf forecast for Arawhata over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 11) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 18s. Another secondary swell of 0.9m and 6s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Arawhata in the next 16 days are 5.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 09) 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 2.4m 7s period and expected on Monday (Jul 13) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Sat 11th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 16ft (5.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Arawhata over the next 16 days.
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s be straight – the first few days of this forecast are a total dud for Arawhata. From Wednesday the 8th through Friday the 10th, it’s just big, messy, wind-chopped junk. Strong cross-shore winds, the swell is up to 16 feet but it’s short period, onshore, and ugly. The wave energy is enormous (up to 6962), but it’s all for nothing. Don’t bother.
We get a little hope on Saturday the 11th. The swell drops to 4 feet from the WSW, the wind eases to a cross-off breeze, and it’s clean. Still only marginal, energy down to 972, but it’s a start.
Sunday the 12th morning is the real deal. Clean 5-foot WSW swell with a light offshore breeze. The water is about 59°, which is average for the season. It’s a proper groundswell with a 16-second period, so the reef will be working perfectly. This is the first highlight. The afternoon fades a bit, but the morning session is the one.
Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th are a lull – smaller swell, shorter period, energy way down. Clean, but nothing special.
Then Wednesday the 15th rolls in. We’re looking at 10-foot WSW groundswell with a 16-second period, and the wind goes glassy in the afternoon. That’s 4185 combined energy – a serious amount of water. This is for experts only. The long period on a reef break means big, steep, powerful waves. This is the second standout.
Thursday the 16th is still good – 7-foot, glassy morning, more groundswell. The rest of the second week stays clean and small, mostly 3 to 4 feet, with a few bigger, short-period spikes. Nothing that matches the 15th.
Bottom line: Sunday the 12th morning for a solid, clean swell, and Wednesday the 15th for the big, glassy groundswell. Those are your two best windows.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Very mild (max 13°C on Wed morning, min 9°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (gales from the SSE on Thu morning, moderate winds from the SE by Fri night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 13°C on Mon afternoon, min 8°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Sat night, fresh winds from the NNE by Mon morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 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) | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | SW 15 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | NW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | W 11 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 729 | 922 | 2231 | 4939 | 3917 | 2091 | 1716 | 1155 | 933 | 545 | 623 | 1155 | 1040 | 840 | 656 | 419 | 239 | 567 | 302 | 674 | 1304 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:21PM2.72m | 3:42AM2.82m | 4:23PM2.71m | 4:46AM2.79m | 5:40PM2.76m | 6:01AM2.82m | 6:58PM2.92m | 7:18AM2.93m | 8:01PM3.13m | 8:23AM3.09m | 8:54PM3.34m | 9:18AM3.23m | 9:44PM3.50m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:11AM0.75m | 9:37PM0.90m | 10:05AM0.79m | 10:40PM0.93m | 11:12AM0.80m | 11:57PM0.89m | 12:31PM0.74m | 1:13AM0.75m | 1:42PM0.59m | 2:15AM0.56m | 2:40PM0.42m | 3:09AM0.38m | 3:32PM0.27m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  | | | | |  |  | | | | |  | | | | | |
 | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — |
 | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — |
mm | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 3 | — | — | 3 |
Temp °C | 13 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Feels °C | 5 | 3 | 2 | -4 | -3 | -2 | -1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | SW 15 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | NW 8 | WNW 9 | WSW 12 | W 11 |
| kJ | 406 | 388 | 635 | 1560 | 1700 | 921 | 1716 | 1155 | 933 | 545 | 623 | 1155 | 1040 | 840 | 656 | 419 | 239 | 567 | 302 | 178 | 1304 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 8 | SW 19 | WSW 18 | WSW 16 | WSW 21 | WSW 19 | — | — | WSW 21 | WSW 18 | WSW 18 | SSE 4 | — | — | — | N 13 | — | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 20 | WSW 18 |
| kJ | 6 | 95 | 270 | 463 | 175 | 679 | — | — | 44 | 348 | 352 | 7 | — | — | — | 3 | — | 131 | 151 | 40 | 186 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 21 | N 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 21 | S 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 24 | SW 21 | — | WSW 22 |
| kJ | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 18 | — | 46 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | — | — | — | N 3 | NNE 4 | N 5 | NW 8 | NNW 8 | WNW 9 | NNW 6 |
| kJ | 729 | 922 | 2231 | 4939 | 3917 | 2091 | 908 | 440 | 125 | 71 | 31 | — | — | — | 5 | 31 | 129 | 497 | 165 | 674 | 48 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 30 | 35 | 165 | 165 | 174 | 165 | 30 | 30 | 22 | 16 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 264 | 7 | 25 | 71 | 71 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Taranaki | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Arawhata Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Arawhata provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Arawhata can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Arawhata 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 (Arawhata) 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 Arawhata 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 Arawhata, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Taranaki, consider staying in New Plymouth which is 49 km (30 miles) away.
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