Arawhata Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve got the lowdown on what’s coming our way.

First up, the standout for the whole period is Monday, 27 July, at Arawhata. That morning session is the one to circle. We’re looking at a solid 7ft of west-southwest swell, with a 13-second period, and it’s dead calm – glassy conditions with the wind from the east at just 3 mph. The combined energy is a massive 1611 (moderate-strong), so there’s plenty of power. This is excellent surf, but it’s a reef break, and at that size, it’s for experienced surfers only. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The rest of the week is a bit of a mixed bag. Monday afternoon gets messy with a 12 mph cross-on wind, and Tuesday morning (28 July) drops to 5ft but cleans up nicely with a light cross-off breeze. Not a standout, but a decent session. Wednesday through Friday morning (29 July – 31 July) are all marginal, with the swell dropping and the wind picking up. By Friday (31 July) and into the weekend, things get ugly – we’ve got risk of thunderstorms, gale-force winds, and a massive 13ft swell on Saturday (1 August) that’s just a howling, lumpy mess. The combined energy on Saturday morning hits 4432 (very strong), but it’s poor surf, and honestly, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddling.

Sunday (2 August) is still wrecked by a gale, and Monday (3 August) is no better. The first real light after the storm is Tuesday, 4 August. Tuesday morning brings 5ft at a 16-second period, with a light cross-off breeze and glassy conditions. That’s an excellent surf session for experienced surfers, and the energy is 1173 (moderate). Tuesday afternoon turns glassy with 5ft. That’s a solid day.

Wednesday (5 August) stays clean with 4ft, and then Thursday, 6 August, morning is a real treat – 10ft of northwest swell, but with a short 8-second period, and an offshore breeze. That’s excellent for experienced surfers, energy 1802 (moderate-strong), but the short period means it’ll be a bit fat and straight at a beach break – Arawhata is a reef, so it should handle it.

Friday (7 August) and Saturday (8 August) are small but clean, with glassy conditions. Saturday afternoon has a weird 6ft from the SSE with a 7-second period – that’s a local windswell, and it’s glassy, so it might be fun for a log.

The second week is quieter. Sunday, 9 August, morning pulls out a 3ft, 18-second groundswell from the WSW with an offshore breeze – that’s long-period energy (1051), so it’ll be clean and lined up, but small. Monday (10 August) and Tuesday (11 August) drop off to 3ft or less, with the wind picking up, making it marginal. The long gap from Sunday (9 August) afternoon through to the end of the forecast is mostly small and not worth chasing.

So, the best on offer is the Monday morning (27 July) and Tuesday morning (4 August) sessions. Mark them down.

Rusty.

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