
Surf Forecasts:
Rolling Stones surf forecast from 9 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 15 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, ESE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 17 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 11s period, S swell with 7,522 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 10 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 11s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Rolling Stones this week:
The surf forecast for Rolling Stones over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 11s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rolling Stones in the next 16 days are 5.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 17) 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 5s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 13) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Sat 15th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 18ft (5.5m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rolling Stones over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s break it down. We’re lookin’ at the next 16 days for Rolling Stones, and it’s a real mixed bag. There’s some juice, but you’ll have to dodge some duds to get to it.
Right now, Monday morning’s got a little 3ft SSE swell sneakin’ in, but the wind is a cross-off from the NW, so conditions are just... okay. Clean enough, but nothin’ to get stoked about. The energy’s weak (178), and it’s a so-so start. That afternoon, the wind goes onshore and it’s a bust. From Tuesday through Friday, it’s a rough stretch – swell builds to 5ft, but the wind is all over the place, mostly cross or cross-on, and the water’s gonna be lumpy and choppy. Honestly, from Monday afternoon right through Friday afternoon, it’s a write-off. That’s a solid four-day gap of no-good surf.
Alright, now we’re talkin’. Saturday the 15th afternoon. This is the first real standout. The swell jumps to 10ft from the SE, the wind goes glassy – *glassy*, I tell ya – and the energy is pumpin’ hard at 1302. That’s a solid, powerful swell. The period is 8 seconds, so it’s a shorter-period wind swell, but with that clean, glassy surface, it’s gonna be a riot for the experienced crew. With swell over 8ft, this is expert-only territory. Big, powerful, and clean. The water temp is about average for this time of year. If you’re advanced and you’re in the water Saturday afternoon, you’re in for a session.
Sunday the 16th, forget it – the wind picks up to 18-22 mph from the SW, and it’s a mess. Monday the 17th, the swell gets huge – 18ft from the S – but with a 25 mph cross-onshore, it’s just a washing machine. More interesting for kite surfers than paddle surfers, honestly.
Then we get to the next big moment. Thursday the 20th morning. Glassy – dead calm – with a 10ft SSE groundswell, period of 10 seconds. The energy is still strong (1908), and the wind is off the land from the W. This is another one for the experts only. Clean, powerful, and lined up. That’s your second standout.
Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd morning are still okay. Saturday morning has a 6ft SE swell, period stretching to 12 seconds – that’s a nice, long-period groundswell – and the wind is a light cross-off from the WNW. The energy is moderate (1037), and it’s clean. This one is more manageable for strong intermediates, but still a solid wave.
The last little window is Sunday the 23rd morning: 5ft ESE swell, glassy conditions, and moderate energy (489). Clean, small, and fun. Then Monday the 24th morning has a tiny 2ft S swell, but the period is a massive 19 seconds – that’s a very long-period groundswell, and it’s glassy. The energy is still moderate (521) because of that long period, but it’s tiny. At a reef break like this, that long period will wrap in nicely, but you’ll be waitin’ a while between sets. After that, Tuesday the 25th is done.
So, the top pick is Saturday the 15th afternoon for the biggest, cleanest, most powerful swell of the week, but it’s for experts only. The second best is Thursday the 20th morning – also big, glassy, and clean. For the rest of us, Saturday the 22nd morning is the best bet for a solid, clean, slightly smaller wave. Keep an eye on the long-range stuff – it’s promising but not locked in yet.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Sun night. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon morning, min 9°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 29mm), heaviest during Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 9°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the E on Fri afternoon, calm by Sat morning). | ||||||||||||||||||
Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 12 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 12 | S 9 | S 8 | S 9 | SSE 8 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | E 6 | ESE 7 | E 7 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
341 | 173 | 131 | 131 | 395 | 317 | 275 | 209 | 450 | 392 | 172 | 95 | 109 | 165 | 240 | 378 | 462 | 1195 | 677 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | on | cross | cross | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 2:29AM1.68m | 2:59PM1.81m | 3:29AM1.69m | 3:57PM1.84m | 4:28AM1.70m | 4:56PM1.86m | 5:26AM1.71m | 5:54PM1.87m | 6:24AM1.72m | 6:49PM1.87m | 7:19AM1.73m | 7:41PM1.84m | |||||||
Low Tide | 8:41AM0.22m | 9:21PM0.19m | 9:43AM0.16m | 10:20PM0.15m | 10:43AM0.10m | 11:18PM0.11m | 11:39AM0.06m | 00:16AM0.09m | 12:32PM0.05m | 1:11AM0.09m | 1:24PM0.08m | 2:02AM0.11m | |||||||
— | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 15 | 12 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 |
Feels °C | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 9 | SSE 8 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 | NE 8 | ESE 9 |
341 | 173 | 131 | 88 | 395 | 317 | 275 | 209 | 450 | 392 | 172 | 95 | 109 | 84 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 51 | 677 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 12 | NE 5 | NE 6 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | NE 6 | S 18 | S 11 | SE 14 | SSE 10 | S 9 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | S 16 | S 15 | S 16 | SSW 21 | SSW 18 |
11 | 4 | 5 | 131 | 156 | 176 | 2 | 6 | 39 | 7 | 31 | 42 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 5 | 88 | 180 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 12 | S 17 | S 16 | SSW 4 | NE 6 | S 17 | S 19 | E 10 | S 16 | E 10 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | S 16 | S 16 | NE 10 | NNE 10 | S 19 | SSW 14 | — |
6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 53 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 19 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 6 | W 2 | — | SSW 4 | — | — | — | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 5 | E 6 | ESE 7 | E 7 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SSW 6 |
30 | 1 | — | 12 | — | — | — | 8 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 34 | 57 | 165 | 240 | 378 | 462 | 1195 | 199 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 47 | 129 | 45 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Rolling Stones Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Rolling Stones provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Rolling Stones can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Rolling Stones 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 (Rolling Stones) 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 Rolling Stones 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.
Rolling Stones is 48 km (30 miles) from the city of Gisborne. If you plan a holiday in Gisborne and Mahia, look for hotels and other accommodation in Gisborne. Gisborne has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











