Surf Forecasts:
Arawhata surf forecast from 12 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 13 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 11s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 15s period, WSW swell with 2,611 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 12 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 12s period with WNW 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 Wednesday (Aug 12) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 12s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Arawhata in the next 16 days are 2.4m 15s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) at 9PM. 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 7s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Wed 12th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Thu 13th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Sat 15th Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Arawhata over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Only one spot on the radar, so let’s get into it.
Water temp is 57°, right about average for the season, nothing unusual.
The surf kicks off on Wednesday the 12th with small but clean waves. Swell from the WSW comes in at 3 ft, a super long 16-second period, and a light offshore breeze from the ENE at 6 mph. Wave energy is weak (314), but it’s glassy. Arawhata is a reef break, fairly consistent, exposed to that SW swell, and crowds can show up sometimes. The afternoon stays clean with similar 2 ft.
Thursday the 13th picks up. Morning hits 4 ft from the WNW, period drops to 10 seconds, cross-off wind from the NNE at 12 mph, and energy climbs to moderate (571). It’s clean. Afternoon goes to 5 ft from the WNW, 12-second period, strong energy (1043), still cross-off, but the wave comment says questionable tide. Still a solid session for intermediates.
Friday the 14th morning is a true standout. You’ve got 4 ft of 16-second groundswell from the WSW, glassy offshore from the SE at just 3 mph, and excellent conditions for experienced surfers. Energy is strong at 1002. This is the best session. The afternoon turns cross-shore and messy, so get out early.
Saturday the 15th pushes into bigger territory: 7 ft to 7 ft from the WSW, 16-second period, energy very strong (2498–2596). But the wind is cross-on or cross-shore, and the morning has small wind ripples. Experts only, and not perfect.
Sunday the 16th is a wash. Strong breeze at 25 mph, cross-shore, lumpy, 7 ft–7 ft. Poor.
Monday the 17th settles to 6 ft–6 ft from the WSW, 14-second period, clean in the morning with light cross-shore breeze. Energy strong (1513). The afternoon gets choppy.
Tuesday the 18th stays 6 ft–6 ft, 14-second period, clean morning with cross-off ESE at 12 mph. Energy 1192–1392. Decent.
Wednesday the 19th: morning 5 ft, 16-second period, light cross-shore, energy 1092. Afternoon 6 ft but cross-onshore. Okay but not a standout.
Thursday the 20th morning – second standout. Glassy, offshore from the north at 3 mph, 5 ft of long-period WSW swell (14 sec), energy 950. The wave comment says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is the clean pick of the second week. Afternoon fades.
From Friday the 21st, swell drops. Friday morning 4 ft, clean, cross-off N at 9 mph, energy 473 – a fun wave. Saturday the 22nd is 3 ft and dropping, and from Sunday the 23rd through Thursday the 27th, it’s under 3 ft, poor conditions, strong winds, energy below 400. The quality run ends after the 20th.
So, top sessions: Friday morning the 14th for glassy 4 ft, and Thursday morning the 20th for glassy 5 ft. Everything else is just okay.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu afternoon, min 11°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Sat morning, min 9°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the SE on Sat night, light winds from the SW by Mon morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 12 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 18 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 310 | 223 | 210 | 338 | 669 | 587 | 768 | 367 | 1331 | 2359 | 2386 | 2179 | 1883 | 2119 | 1900 | 1504 | 1283 | 1230 | 1178 | 1033 | 987 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross | glassy |
High Tide | 9:08AM3.21m | 9:32PM3.48m | 9:55AM3.33m | 10:16PM3.56m | 10:38AM3.37m | 10:58PM3.54m | 11:19AM3.33m | 11:38PM3.43m | 11:58AM3.23m | 00:15AM3.27m | 12:36PM3.09m | 00:52AM3.07m | 1:14PM2.92m | 1:30AM2.85m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:20PM0.27m | 3:45AM0.22m | 4:05PM0.15m | 4:30AM0.14m | 4:48PM0.12m | 5:13AM0.14m | 5:28PM0.18m | 5:55AM0.22m | 6:08PM0.32m | 6:34AM0.35m | 6:48PM0.51m | 7:13AM0.52m | 7:30PM0.73m | ||||||||
 | |  | | |  | |  |  | | | | | |  | | | | | | | |
 | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — |
 | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — |
mm | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 |
Feels °C | 11 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 5 | -1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 16 | N 6 | N 7 | WNW 10 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 18 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | SSE 8 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 |
| kJ | 310 | 81 | 128 | 338 | 669 | 476 | 768 | 367 | 1331 | 2359 | 2386 | 2179 | 1883 | 2119 | 1900 | 1504 | 1283 | 6 | 1178 | 1033 | 987 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 5 | WSW 16 | WNW 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | WSW 17 | WNW 9 | WSW 10 | W 8 | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | — | — | — | — | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | WSW 14 | SSE 9 |
| kJ | 27 | 223 | 210 | 136 | 372 | 587 | 220 | 137 | 86 | 139 | 210 | — | — | — | — | 9 | 5 | 12 | 6 | 352 | 8 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 4 | W 13 | WSW 15 | W 14 | S 9 | N 5 | WSW 12 | WNW 9 | SSE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | — |
| kJ | 4 | 86 | 123 | 97 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 84 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 5 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 4 | — | — | N 6 | N 6 | — | — | SE 2 | — | — | — | SSE 7 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 6 | — | — | WSW 14 | SSE 3 | SSE 3 | — |
| kJ | 3 | — | — | 78 | 41 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 833 | 956 | 422 | 46 | — | — | 1230 | 3 | 2 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 3 | 16 | 152 | 146 | 33 | 25 | 25 | 3 | 229 | 30 | 20 | 22 | 0 |
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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