Surf Forecasts:
Rolling Stones surf forecast from 15 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 16s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 20ft (6.0m), 12s period, S swell with 9,703 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 9s 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 Thursday (Aug 20) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 17s. 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 6.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 8s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 16) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Fri 21st Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 20ft (6.0m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rolling Stones over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get this out there. It’s a bit of a wild ride on the forecast, so let’s break down what we’re looking at.
The long story short? For the next week or so, Rolling Stones is going to be a messy, blown-out mess. There’s a lot of energy in the ocean, but it’s all coming in with a bunch of onshore and cross-shore wind, which is going to shred it all to pieces. We’re looking at a stretch of days with poor surf conditions and strong winds that are going to make it pretty much unrideable for anyone who wants a clean wave. We’re talking about a blank run that starts now and doesn’t let up for several days.
The first real chance to even think about getting wet is on Thursday, August 20th. The swell is still a decent size, around 10ft, and coming from the SSW, but the wind is still cross-shore and it’s a bit chunky. It’s a “marginal” call at best, a day to maybe be patient and pick off a cleanup set if you’re desperate. But it’s not where you want to be.
Now, we finally get our window. Friday morning, August 21st, is where it all changes. That’s the standout. The wind drops to almost nothing there – just a light offshore breeze from the NNW – and it’s looking glassy as. The swell is a clean 5ft from the south, and the energy is moderate (761). That’s the cleanest, most decent surf you’re gonna see here in a minute. It’ll be a bit fat and soft, but it’ll be clean and the crowd will be manageable. That’s the one to mark in the calendar.
Saturday, the 22nd, will see the swell ease a touch to 4ft, but it’s still glassy on the morning with light offshore winds and it’ll be super clean. A fun wave for a log or a fish if you’re just looking to get wet. The afternoon stays glassy as the wind goes calm.
After that, the surf drops off fast into next week. We’re looking at small, weak surf with onshore winds building again. There’s a little bump of swell on the 26th – about 5ft to 6ft – but it’s short period and you’ll need to be checking the cams because it’s not going to be clean. The long period groundswell from the south that came in around the 20th and 22nd, that’s the one you want to look for. Just remember, that kind of long-period swell can break a bit straight on a beach break, but this is a reef, and it should hold up fine.
There’s another little pulse of energy around Saturday, August 29th, with 6ft from the south, but it’s got a short period and cross-onshore wind that will likely turn it into a messy closeout.
So, for the tallies: The water is running a bit colder than normal, about two and a half degrees Fahrenheit colder for what you’d expect this time of year, so maybe throw on that extra layer. The whole period is pretty much a write-off until the 21st, and even after that, the follow-through is weak. If you can, get out Friday morning. It’s your best shot.
Stay sharp.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 37mm), heaviest during Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 11°C on Sun morning, min 7°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Mon night, near gales from the SSW by Tue night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Wed night. Very mild (max 13°C on Fri morning, min 7°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSW on Wed morning, calm by Fri morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 8 | SSW 7 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 8 | S 10 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 14 | SSW 13 | S 9 | S 8 | S 10 | S 16 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
341 | 738 | 3561 | 2932 | 2134 | 1455 | 1298 | 3676 | 9600 | 8024 | 6075 | 5566 | 2618 | 818 | 422 | 520 | 638 | 1030 | 392 | 339 | 276 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | off | glassy | off |
High Tide | 8:31PM1.81m | 9:00AM1.76m | 9:21PM1.76m | 9:46AM1.75m | 10:10PM1.71m | 10:33AM1.72m | 10:59PM1.67m | 11:22AM1.67m | 11:48PM1.62m | 12:14PM1.62m | 00:35AM1.57m | 1:06PM1.58m | 1:22AM1.51m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:17PM0.13m | 2:51AM0.16m | 3:09PM0.20m | 3:39AM0.22m | 4:01PM0.28m | 4:27AM0.30m | 4:51PM0.34m | 5:15AM0.36m | 5:41PM0.40m | 6:03AM0.41m | 6:30PM0.44m | 6:49AM0.45m | 7:20PM0.47m | ||||||||
6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | |
— | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | |
mm | 2 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 5 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 12 |
Feels °C | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 0 | -2 | -1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 13 | 15 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | E 11 | ESE 10 | SSE 9 | ESE 9 | — | ESE 15 | SE 14 | ESE 13 | SE 9 | S 10 | S 9 | S 8 | S 10 | S 9 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 |
341 | 275 | 482 | 61 | 104 | 982 | 288 | — | 22 | 46 | 17 | 365 | 1389 | 818 | 422 | 520 | 295 | 1030 | 392 | 339 | 276 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | NE 8 | SE 15 | SSW 16 | E 10 | SSW 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 11 | SE 14 | S 16 | S 17 | S 16 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 10 | ESE 13 |
222 | 51 | 9 | 380 | 200 | 276 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 31 | 7 | 21 | 197 | 638 | 51 | 31 | 15 | 34 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 17 | NE 8 | — | — | — | E 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 13 | SE 12 | ESE 8 | SE 11 | E 15 | S 16 | SE 14 | ESE 13 |
307 | 69 | — | — | — | 89 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | 6 | 44 | 19 | 4 | 82 | 8 | 33 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 5 | SSW 7 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 8 | S 10 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 14 | SSW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | NW 3 | NW 3 | NW 2 |
67 | 738 | 3561 | 2932 | 2134 | 1455 | 1298 | 3676 | 9600 | 8024 | 6075 | 5566 | 2618 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 113 | 113 | 158 | 93 | 162 | 78 | 158 | 169 | 169 | 162 | 91 | 93 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 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.











