Arawhata Surf Break

Lat Long: 39.42° S 173.80° E

Arawhata Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 am 05 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Arawhata sea temperature is
13.9°C
0.5° 

Arawhata surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Arawhata surf forecast from 4 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 11 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 18s period, WSW swell with cross-onshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 11 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 18s period, WSW swell with 17,993 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 15s 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 Monday (Sep 07) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.2m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 10s. Another secondary swell of 2.3m and 8s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Arawhata in the next 16 days are 5.5m 18s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 11) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 8s period and expected on Monday (Sep 07) at 3AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9AM (Mon 7th Sep)7ft (2.2m) 15s
Best Surf12PM (Fri 11th Sep)16ft (5.0m) 18s
Most Powerful 6PM (Fri 11th Sep)18ft (5.5m) 18s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Arawhata over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what the ocean's got in store for us at Arawhata.

Right off the bat, we've got a bit of a wait on our hands. The start of the outlook is a bit ugly, so don't bother paddling out just yet. The first real glimmer of something decent won't be until Monday the 7th.

We're looking at a solid, long-period groundswell from the WSW, but the wind is a major issue for the first few days. Saturday the 5th is a write-off with strong cross-onshore winds and a messy 13ft swell. The energy is huge (10789), but it's just a washing machine. Sunday the 6th cleans up a bit with cross-offshore winds, but the swell is still a chunky 12ft and the conditions are only rated as marginal. Hold off.

Now, let's talk about the real standout. Monday morning, September 7th is when it gets interesting. The swell drops to a powerful 7ft from the WSW, with a very long period of 15 seconds. This is proper groundswell energy (2866) and the wind swings to a gentle offshore from the NE. That means clean, peeling lines. This is a reef break, so that long period swell will really shine here, offering up some beautiful, well-shaped waves. The water is around 57°, which is about normal for this time of year. This is the best session on offer for experienced surfers, as 7ft is a bit much for the beginners.

The rest of that week is a bit of a mixed bag. Tuesday the 8th gets smaller and the wind messes it up again. Wednesday morning the 9th sees a tiny 4ft swell with clean conditions, but it's a shadow of what Monday was. The energy is weak (447). The weekend of the 12th and 13th brings another massive pulse of swell, but it's accompanied by howling onshore winds, making it completely unsurfable. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Then, we get another promising window. Monday the 14th of September has a 13ft WSW swell with a 15-second period, and the wind is a gentle cross-onshore from the SSE. The energy is high (6742), and while it's not perfect, it's a much better option than the stormy weekend. The following Saturday, the 19th, looks like a real sleeper. A massive 18ft swell from the WSW is forecast, but with a moderate cross-offshore wind from the ESE. That's a clean, offshore wind for a break this size, offering some incredibly heavy, powerful waves. The energy is massive (8005). This one is a long way out, so it's promising but not certain, but it has the potential to be the best of the whole two-week period.

So, to sum it up: the standout is Monday morning, the 7th of September, for the clean conditions and solid groundswell. The second potential hero is Saturday the 19th, but it's a long way off. Between those, there are a lot of windy, stormy days to sift through.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 23mm), heaviest during Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun night, min 10°C on Mon night). Mainly strong winds.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Thu morning. Very mild (max 13°C on Wed morning, min 9°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNW on Wed morning, strong winds from the SW by Thu night).

Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
3
6
4
4
2
4
2
1
2
2
3
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
!
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
4
WSW
14
3.5
WSW
14
3.5
WSW
15
3.5
WSW
16
3.5
W
16
2.5
WSW
16
2.2
WSW
15
1.9
WSW
14
1.3
WSW
14
1.6
WSW
13
1.4
WSW
12
1.5
WSW
12
1.2
WSW
11
1.1
WSW
9
2
WSW
11
1.5
WSW
11
1.3
WSW
16
3.5
WSW
15
3
WSW
19
5
WSW
18
6
WSW
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
5693
4783
5459
5933
5875
3309
2179
1435
712
787
545
623
305
207
1045
531
788
4619
6115
16581
9088
Wind (km/h)
20
WNW
25
NW
25
WNW
30
NNW
40
NNW
40
N
10
NE
20
SSE
30
SE
20
SE
15
SSE
10
ESE
5
NNW
15
WNW
25
W
30
NW
40
WSW
45
SW
45
W
40
WSW
40
WSW
Wind State
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
3:45PM2.68m
4:27AM2.63m
5:23PM2.71m
5:54AM2.68m
6:39PM2.87m
7:05AM2.82m
7:38PM3.08m
8:03AM3.00m
8:28PM3.26m
8:52AM3.17m
9:13PM3.39m
9:36AM3.28m
9:54PM3.44m
Low Tide
9:17AM0.95m
10:10PM1.05m
10:45AM1.03m
11:40PM1.00m
12:15PM0.92m
00:56AM0.81m
1:23PM0.70m
1:54AM0.56m
2:17PM0.46m
2:43AM0.34m
3:03PM0.27m
3:26AM0.19m
3:45PM0.15m
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clear
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light rain
light rain
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part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:41
6:39
6:39
6:37
6:35
6:33
6:31
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:05
6:06
6:07
6:07
6:08
6:08
6:09
 mm
2
7
7
7
2
3
3
2
1
Temp °C
13
13
13
14
14
15
13
13
12
12
12
11
13
13
12
13
12
12
12
12
12
Feels °C
8
7
6
8
7
8
11
9
7
7
8
8
10
9
7
7
4
3
4
4
4
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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