Arawhata Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s take a look at what’s coming up for Arawhata. This is a reef setup that’s fairly consistent and exposed, with an optimum swell from the southwest. The water temperature is about 57°, which is right around average for this time of year – nothing unusual.

Right now, there’s a big solid swell in the water, but the wind is howling from the west-southwest at 25 mph, straight onshore, making it a complete mess. The combined swell energy is massive at 6172, but the conditions are just poor. We’re looking at a long stretch of nothing good here. The wind stays strong and cross-onshore day after day, with some pretty hefty swell sizes – up to over 16 ft – but with that wind, it’s just not surfable. Through Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, the wind is either onshore, cross-onshore, or cross, and the wave quality is poor, with lumpy, choppy conditions. The swell period is mostly around 10-14 seconds, but the wind is just too strong.

We do get a bit of a break around Sunday, 6 September – the wind goes cross-offshore from the north, which cleans things up, but the swell is still a solid 8 ft to 7 ft, with a long period of 16 seconds, so the wave energy is massive (3472 to 4726). The wind is still a near gale from the north, so it’s going to be wild and challenging, even for experienced surfers. The surf is marked as poor to marginal, so it’s not a day to get excited about.

The following week, from Monday 7 September, we see a massive spike in swell, with combined energy hitting 8133 and then 20430 on Monday afternoon. But the wind is again onshore from the west-southwest at 25-28 mph, so it’s just too big and too windy. The surf is too big for this break, and the wind is a problem. This is really only for experts, and even then, it’s not going to be a fun paddle.

The rest of the week, from Tuesday 8 September onwards, the swell starts to drop, but the wind is still a mix of onshore and cross-onshore, keeping the surf messy. Tuesday 8 September afternoon has a small window with light wind from the south at 6 mph, and the swell is 8 ft from the southwest, but the wind is still cross-onshore, so it’s marginal. The best of the whole period, if you can call it that, is Tuesday 8 September afternoon – it’s a 4/10, with light wind and an 8 ft swell, but it’s still cross-onshore, so not perfect.

After that, the surf drops right off. From Wednesday 9 September through to the end of the window, the swell is under 6 ft, the wind is often cross or onshore, and the wave energy is weak to moderate. There’s a period of moderate cross-offshore wind from the north around Monday 14 September, with a 11 ft swell, but it’s still marginal. The last few days have some clean conditions, but the swell is small and the wind is strong.

Overall, it’s a pretty grim run for Arawhata. There’s a lot of swell, but the wind is relentless. The only standout is if you’re an expert looking for a challenge on Sunday 6 September, but even then, it’s going to be a battle. The best bet for a clean-ish wave is Tuesday 8 September afternoon, but it’s not going to be a classic. For most of the window, you’re better off doing something else.

Rusty.

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