Arawhata Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for Arawhata over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, with a lot of wind to work through, but there are a couple of windows that are worth circling on the calendar.

First up, Arawhata is a reef setup, so it likes a good long-period groundswell to really show its teeth. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing wild there.

The next few days are a write-off for any decent paddle surfing. Thursday the 30th has some waist-high swell at 5ft from the WSW, but a strong N wind is making it a choppy, cross-off mess. The wave energy is moderate (752), but it’s just not clean enough to get excited about. Friday the 31st is a big no-go – that swell builds to 10ft and then 13ft, but it’s getting hammered by strong onshore winds. The energy is high (2198-3727), but it’s blown-out and lumpy. That kind of power with a short period (9-10 seconds) is just a washing machine.

Saturday the 1st of August actually looks clean with a strong ESE wind giving us cross-off conditions, and a solid 12ft WSW swell. The energy is very strong (5704), but that wind is a strong breeze, so it’s not going to be pretty. The score reflects that it’s marginal, and the swell is over 8ft, so this is strictly for the experienced crew only.

The standout window is Sunday the 2nd of August. This is the one. The morning brings a glassy, still morning with a 5ft WSW groundswell at a nice 12-second period. The energy is moderate (590), but the conditions are about as good as it gets. The wind is a light southerly at just 3 mph, creating a mirror-like surface. This is a classic, clean reef wave – perfect for the intermediate surfer. The swell is not too big, the period is solid, and it’s glassy. That’s the best on offer for the whole forecast. The afternoon drops off with onshore wind, so get in early.

After that, we hit a dry spell. Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th are back to strong onshore winds and lumpy, poor surf, with the swell jumping up to 10ft again. Not worth it.

Wednesday the 5th of August afternoon shows some promise. A light ESE breeze keeps it clean, with a 4ft WSW swell (13-second period). The energy is moderate (581). It’s small, but it’s clean and rideable for a beginner or longboarder.

Thursday the 6th of August afternoon is a bit of a wildcard. The wind is light and cross-off, and the swell jumps to 8ft from the NW, but with a short 8-second period. The energy is moderate (985). It could be a bit fat and walled-off at the reef, but it’s clean.

The second standout is Friday the 7th of August. This is a big, powerful day. The morning brings a 13ft SSE swell with a moderate offshore NNE wind. The energy is very strong (2591). With a 9-second period, this is a meaty, powerful groundswell. The wave comment says it’s excellent for experienced surfers, and that’s exactly who this is for. The afternoon holds at 10ft and clean. This is a big-wave day for the experts only – the power is substantial.

The rest of the second week, from the 8th through the 14th, is a long stretch of poor conditions. Strong winds, messy chop, and a lot of onshore flow. The swell drops to tiny 1.0ft-3ft waves with very long periods (over 15 seconds), which is prone to breaking straight and not offering much shape at the reef. The energy is low (160-426). The 13th and 14th of August have clean offshore winds, but the swell is too small to get excited about – just a dribble.

So, for the good stuff: Sunday the 2nd of August is the call for the intermediate crew – glassy, clean, waist-high+ waves. Friday the 7th of August is for the big-wave chargers – big, powerful, and clean, but only for the experienced.

Rusty.

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