Surf Forecasts:
Rolling Stones surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 18s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 18s period, S swell with 2,912 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 8s period with SSW 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 24) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 13s. 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 2.2m 18s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 7s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 29) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rolling Stones over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, it’s Rusty here.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a solid stretch of clean, rideable waves lining up for the next couple of weeks, but you’re gonna have to pick your windows. The first few days are all about clean surfaces and manageable size, before things get properly serious into the second week. There’s a standout session on the horizon that’ll have the experienced crew frothing, but it comes with a warning for anyone who isn’t well-versed in reef surfing.
Let’s break it down, day by day, starting with the opening run.
Monday, August 24th kicks things off with a 5.2ft SSW swell at 9 seconds. It’s not huge, but the W wind is cross-offshore and light, so conditions are clean. The water temp is about normal for this time of year, nothing wild there. The energy is moderate at 411, so it’s a decent paddle but not a workout. This is a good one to get your arms moving.
Tuesday, August 25th the swell drops a touch to 3.9ft, but the period bumps up to 12 seconds, meaning a bit more push behind it. The standout here is the Tuesday afternoon session – the wind goes completely glassy (0 km/h), and the ocean turns to velvet. That’s about as good as it gets for a small day. Moderate energy (470), but the lack of any breeze makes it feel way better than the size suggests.
Wednesday, August 26th keeps the clean theme going. Morning has a 2.6ft SW swell with a super long 17-second period – that’s proper groundswell. It’s small, but those long-period lines will offer up some shape, especially on the reef. Slight air, offshore vibe, and clean. The energy is still moderate (503), but the quality is high.
Thursday, August 27th is where things start to shift. The morning is shaping up to be excellent. The swell jumps back to 5.2ft from the S, with an 18-second period, and the wind is basically nothing – glassy. The combined energy registers a strong 1573. This is the first real headline act of the forecast. It’s got size, it’s got period, and it’s clean. That’s the kind of morning you call in sick for. The afternoon builds to 6.9ft, but the wind swings cross-shore and it gets a bit lumpy, plus the energy more than doubles to 2666 – still strong, but not as user-friendly.
Friday, August 28th offers more good stuff. A 5.2ft S swell at 13 seconds, with NNW winds blowing offshore at 15 km/h. The surface is clean, and the energy is strong at 924. It’s a step down from Thursday’s morning, but it’ll be a fun, powerful reef wave.
Saturday, August 29th fades a little to 3.3ft, but stays clean with a moderate offshore breeze. Good for a longer board, not much else.
Sunday, August 30th at 4.9ft, the morning has a moderate cross-offshore breeze, but the afternoon is the pick – glassy again with a 3.6ft SSW swell. Not huge, but perfect conditions to finish the week.
Now, here
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Wed afternoon, min 10°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu morning, min 9°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | SSW 8 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 15 | S 18 | S 16 | S 17 | S 18 | S 18 | S 15 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
293 | 610 | 851 | 439 | 294 | 218 | 390 | 417 | 459 | 1761 | 2912 | 1506 | 808 | 649 | 423 | 280 | 257 | 191 | 138 | 127 | 104 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross | off |
High Tide | 2:43PM1.52m | 2:58AM1.40m | 3:28PM1.49m | 3:46AM1.38m | 4:13PM1.49m | 4:33AM1.38m | 4:59PM1.50m | 5:22AM1.41m | 5:47PM1.53m | 6:11AM1.46m | 6:33PM1.57m | 6:58AM1.52m | 7:20PM1.62m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:57PM0.47m | 9:11AM0.44m | 9:43PM0.43m | 10:00AM0.41m | 10:29PM0.39m | 10:48AM0.36m | 11:15PM0.34m | 11:32AM0.32m | 00:03AM0.30m | 12:17PM0.28m | 00:49AM0.26m | 1:02PM0.25m | 1:35AM0.24m | ||||||||
6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | |
— | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 11 |
Feels °C | 12 | 11 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 8 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 18 | S 16 | S 17 | S 18 | S 18 | S 15 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 |
293 | 610 | 851 | 439 | 294 | 157 | 390 | 417 | 459 | 1761 | 2912 | 1506 | 808 | 649 | 423 | 280 | 257 | 191 | 138 | 127 | 104 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 13 | SSW 7 | NE 4 | SE 13 | S 18 | S 15 | SSW 10 | SE 13 | SE 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 12 | SE 15 | SE 14 | SE 13 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 |
34 | 69 | 4 | 27 | 97 | 218 | 77 | 26 | 23 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 28 | 46 | 31 | 14 | 15 | 7 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | ESE 13 | SE 13 | NE 5 | SE 13 | SE 12 | SE 13 | E 10 | E 10 | SE 13 | — | E 16 | SE 15 | NE 9 | — | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 | ENE 8 | S 14 | ENE 8 |
6 | 35 | 45 | 1 | 26 | 24 | 43 | 2 | 2 | 7 | — | 5 | 9 | 3 | — | 28 | 25 | 6 | 7 | 14 | 6 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | WNW 3 | — | — | NW 3 | — | — | — | — | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 7 | NNW 3 | NW 3 | — | — | SSE 3 |
— | — | — | 2 | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 4 | 6 | 28 | 69 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 4 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 95 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.











