Surf Forecasts:
Arawhata surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 14s period, WSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 16s period, WSW swell with 6,323 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 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 Thursday (Aug 20) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 5s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Arawhata in the next 16 days are 3.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Arawhata over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into the gut of it for Arawhata. This stretch isn’t looking like a straight-up classic, but there’s light at the end of the tunnel if you’re patient.
The water temp is sitting at 57°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The first few days are a bit of a write-off. Tuesday the 18th has a 6ft swell from the WSW, but the wind is on it and the energy is only moderate (1048), so it’s a messy, marginal affair. Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th stay in the same sloppy boat with cross-shore and cross-onshore winds, making it tough to find a clean face. Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd drop right off, with weak, small swell and poor conditions. Sunday the 23rd sees a jump in size to 10ft and 12ft, but it’s a lumpy, cross-onshore mess with fresh winds. Not worth paddling out.
Now, Monday the 24th is where things get interesting. We’ve got a 12ft swell from the WSW, but the combined energy is massive (8985 in the morning, 6483 in the afternoon). That’s a lot of power. The wind is cross-onshore, so it’s choppy, but the sheer size and energy make it a standout for experienced surfers. This is a big, powerful groundswell with a 16-second period – the kind that’ll hold up at Arawhata and offer some proper open faces. It’s more of a looker than a groomer, but the energy is undeniable.
Tuesday the 25th scales back a bit to 8ft but gets cleaner with cross-offshore winds. The energy is still solid (2522). Wednesday the 26th and Thursday the 27th stay in the 7ft to 7ft range with clean, cross-offshore winds, making for some decent, workable waves. The energy is moderate to strong. Friday the 28th drops right off into weak territory, so don’t bother.
The real big finish is the last few days of August and into September. Sunday the 30th is a no-go – 18ft to 20ft with near-gale cross-shore winds. That’s a mess. But Monday the 31st is a monster: 21ft in the morning (18041 energy) and 18ft in the afternoon (10444 energy). That’s huge, powerful, and for experts only. The wind is better in the afternoon with a light breeze. Then Tuesday the 1st of September and Wednesday the 2nd of September are the real gems. Clean, glassy conditions with offshore or glassy wind, and 12ft to 7ft swell from the WSW. The energy is strong (3386 and 2259) but manageable. This is the best window – clean, powerful, and lined up. Crowds are possible at this spot, so get in early.
The gap between the initial poor conditions and the good stuff at the end is about a week. The real standout is the window from Monday the 31st of August through Wednesday the 2nd of September. That’s where the magic is.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Thu morning. Very mild (max 13°C on Thu night, min 9°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SE on Tue night, calm by Wed night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Sat night, min 12°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NW on Sat night, light winds from the W by Sun night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | ||||||||||||||
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 13 | WSW 12 | SSE 8 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | NW 6 | NW 7 | W 9 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1042 | 763 | 711 | 759 | 1428 | 1159 | 850 | 756 | 479 | 530 | 347 | 253 | 341 | 685 | 1555 | 2378 | 1853 | 6323 | 4682 | 3408 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross |
High Tide | 1:30AM2.85m | 1:55PM2.75m | 2:15AM2.65m | 2:45PM2.58m | 3:15AM2.47m | 3:54PM2.46m | 4:34AM2.38m | 5:25PM2.44m | 5:55AM2.39m | 6:37PM2.54m | 7:00AM2.50m | 7:29PM2.69m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:30PM0.73m | 7:52AM0.71m | 8:15PM0.93m | 8:35AM0.90m | 9:09PM1.12m | 9:30AM1.08m | 10:18PM1.24m | 10:48AM1.18m | 11:46PM1.24m | 12:15PM1.14m | 00:58AM1.12m | 1:18PM0.99m | 1:48AM0.95m | |||||||
 |  | |  | |  | |  |  | | | | |  | | | | | |  | |
 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — |
 | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 7 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 6 | WSW 13 | WSW 10 | WSW 16 | WSW 18 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 |
| kJ | 1042 | 763 | 711 | 425 | 1428 | 1159 | 850 | 756 | 479 | 530 | 347 | 57 | 198 | 180 | 211 | 240 | 575 | 2662 | 1801 | 3408 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | SSE 10 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | SSE 5 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | WSW 14 | WSW 19 | WSW 13 | S 10 | WSW 15 | NNW 8 | — | — | — |
| kJ | 6 | 163 | 437 | 759 | 21 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 253 | 35 | 69 | 2 | 84 | 22 | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WSW 14 | — | — | SSE 9 | — | — | S 18 | S 17 | S 16 | — | — | S 11 | WSW 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | 290 | — | — | 16 | — | — | 6 | 6 | 5 | — | — | 2 | 120 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | ESE 3 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | — | WSW 4 | WSW 5 | W 5 | W 5 | W 5 | W 6 | NW 5 | NW 6 | NW 7 | W 9 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | W 8 |
| kJ | — | 3 | 679 | 171 | — | 21 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 53 | 103 | 50 | 341 | 685 | 1555 | 2378 | 1853 | 6323 | 4682 | 459 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 60 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 7 | 33 | 97 | 7 | 90 | 221 | 97 | 97 | 210 | 209 | 275 | 270 | 311 | 221 | 221 | 97 |
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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