Arawhata Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, and I've got the full rundown on what's coming our way. It's a bit of a mixed bag, so let's cut straight to it.

The good news is there's plenty of swell on the horizon, but the wind is going to be a real pain for a lot of the time. We're looking at a solid 16-day window, but the first week is a write-off for quality surf. The real standout is a day that's a fair way out, so keep that in mind.

Let's start with Arawhata. Water temp is sitting at 57°, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year – nothing unusual there.

The first sniff of a decent wave comes on 27 August. The morning is looking absolutely magic. We've got a clean 6 ft swell rolling in from the WSW with a 12-second period, and the wind is glassy – a light NE at 3 mph. The combined energy is moderate (1174), but more importantly, the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. This is your window. The swell direction is SW in the optimum, so WSW is a good match. This is the pick of the entire forecast.

Before that, it's a bit of a slog. The week prior is a mix of poor and marginal conditions. The wind is mostly cross or cross-on, and the swell energy is often high but blown out. For instance, 23 August has a 10 ft swell and a 28 mph cross-off wind – that's messy and only for the brave. The 24th and 25th are even bigger, with WSW swells hitting 10 ft to 13 ft and strong cross-on winds, making it more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session.

After that 27 August window, the surf drops off a bit. 28 August has some small, glassy conditions with 3 ft and 3 ft swells, but the energy is weak (372 and 285). It's a nice paddle, but not a standout.

Then we get a promising run from 29 August through to 31 August. On 29 August, the morning delivers a 10 ft swell from the west, with a clean offshore NNE wind at 12 mph. The combined energy is strong (2039), and the conditions are excellent for experienced surfers. 30 August is also good, with a 5 ft NW swell and gentle offshore winds, making for very clean waves. And 31 August keeps the run going with an 8 ft west swell and offshore winds, though the period is a short 8 seconds. These days are all very good, but the 27 August glassy morning is the true gem.

The very end of the forecast, 1 September, gets wild again, with an 12 ft swell and a 31 mph cross wind – that's a hard pass.

So, if you're chasing the best, set your sights on the morning of 27 August at Arawhata. It's a 16-day call, so it's promising but not set in stone, but the signs are all there. Later on, 29 and 30 August are also worth a look, especially with the offshore winds. The rest of the time, you'll be battling the breeze.

Stay frothy,
Rusty

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