Surf Forecasts:
Rolling Stones surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 15 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 10s period, E swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 8s period, SSW swell with 785 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 9 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 13s 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 Sunday (Aug 09) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 12s. 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 2.4m 8s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 7s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 13) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Sun 9th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Sat 15th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Sat 15th Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rolling Stones over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's cooking at Rolling Stones, an advanced reef break that's fairly consistent and picks up a south swell best. The water is sitting at a chilly 54°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you'll want a good hood and gloves if you're heading out.
Right now, there's not much happening. We’ve got a slow start to the week ahead. Sunday morning, August 9th, offers up a weak 4ft south swell with a long 11-second period and a moderate cross-offshore wind, keeping things clean. But the wave energy is only moderate (666) and the conditions are described as marginal. It's not really worth paddling out for. The rest of Sunday and Monday look even smaller and less inspiring, with poor surf or very ordinary conditions.
Things get a bit more interesting on Tuesday morning, August 11th. A stronger pulse of swell arrives, 6ft from the SSW but with a short, weak 8-second period. The energy jumps up to moderate (983), but the wind is cross-shore and there's a slight chop. It's still a tough call for this advanced break.
The best bet in this whole 16-day window is shaping up for Saturday morning, August 22nd. We've got a solid 6ft south-east groundswell with a very long 12-second period, packing a strong punch of energy (1057). The wind is forecast to be glassy. That is a rare combo here. The only thing to watch is that a long-period swell at a beach break can sometimes break a bit too straight, but for this reef, it should line up nicely. Expect very good surf conditions. The afternoon stays clean but the wind shifts cross-on, so get on it early.
Now, the second week is a mixed bag. There’s a lot of big, messy swell with strong onshore winds from the 16th to the 19th. Swell heights hit 16ft with energy readings over 7000, but with strong cross-onshore winds and lumpy conditions, it's blown-out chaos. That's kite-surfing territory, not for a paddle surfer.
Later on, the 20th and 21st see the swell drop, but conditions remain marginal with cross-shore or onshore winds. Nothing worth getting excited about until that glassy Saturday on the 22nd.
So, the standout is Saturday morning, August 22nd. Get it while it's glassy and clean. After that, it fades again.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon afternoon, min 9°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 31mm), heaviest during Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri morning, min 9°C on Wed night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 11 | S 13 | S 12 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 12 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SSE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 10 | E 11 | E 10 | S 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 388 | 289 | 341 | 173 | 163 | 131 | 408 | 263 | 192 | 402 | 376 | 216 | 69 | 45 | 58 | 120 | 193 | 533 | 639 | 386 | 576 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on |
High Tide | 2:00PM1.77m | 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 | 8:22PM0.24m | 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 | ||||||||
 | |  |  |  |  | | |  | | | |  | | | |  | | | | | |
 | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — |
 | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — |
mm | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | 19 | 7 | — | 2 | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 9 |
Feels °C | 8 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 1 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 10 | S 12 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | S 8 | SSW 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SSE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 10 | E 11 | E 10 | E 9 |
| kJ | 388 | 265 | 341 | 173 | 163 | 88 | 396 | 207 | 192 | 402 | 376 | 216 | 69 | 45 | 58 | 120 | 193 | 533 | 639 | 386 | 175 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 14 | S 13 | NE 6 | NE 5 | NE 5 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | S 18 | S 16 | SSE 10 | S 9 | SE 8 | ESE 14 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | S 15 | S 16 | ESE 8 | S 17 |
| kJ | 265 | 289 | 31 | 5 | 4 | 131 | 158 | 234 | 112 | 6 | 5 | 34 | 64 | 31 | 18 | 20 | 8 | 17 | 5 | 37 | 22 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | E 12 | NE 12 | S 17 | S 16 | NE 6 | S 16 | S 17 | NE 6 | S 18 | SW 16 | SE 14 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | S 16 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | SSE 9 | S 20 | S 18 | S 13 |
| kJ | 13 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 21 | 51 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 17 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 3 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 3 | NE 4 | NNE 6 | — | — | SSW 5 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | — | ENE 4 | NE 4 | NE 5 | NE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | W 3 | SSW 6 | SSW 7 | S 8 |
| kJ | 4 | 15 | 66 | — | — | 17 | 408 | 263 | — | 8 | 36 | 48 | 138 | 201 | 154 | 71 | 103 | 4 | 87 | 298 | 576 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 55 | 55 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 84 |
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.
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