
Surf Forecasts:
Rolling Stones surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 8 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 10s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 11s period, S swell with 2,807 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 12s 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 (Sep 03) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rolling Stones in the next 16 days are 3.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 7s period and expected on Monday (Sep 07) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rolling Stones over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, checking out what's brewing over the next 16 days. Let's get into it.
Friday morning, September 5th, there might be a tiny blip on the radar with some weak SSW swell, but honestly, it's not worth paddling out for. We're looking at a long, quiet stretch to start things off. The first real glimmer of hope arrives on Monday morning, September 8th, with a clean 6ft S swell at Rolling Stones. The wind is light, offshore, and the water's sitting at 55°, which is a touch colder than you'd expect for this time of year. That 9-second period is a bit short, but for a point break reef setup like this, it'll still offer up some fun, shapey waves. The energy's moderate at 454 units. It won't be a total circus crowd-wise, but it can get a few heads out there, so expect some company.
The real standout, the one to circle on your calendar, kicks off Monday morning, September 14th. Rolling Stones is waking up with a clean 8ft S swell, a solid 13-second period, and decent cross-offshore wind. The energy is pumping at 1703 units. This is proper groundswell and it's going to be lined up and powerful. You'll want to be an experienced surfer for this one, as 8ft is pushing the limits for most. But the quality, the length of the rides—this is the session to aim for. The afternoon of the 14th gets even better with glassy conditions and a 6ft S swell, making for some silky smooth walls.
After that, Tuesday the 15th offers a smaller, cleaner option at 4ft, perfect for a recovery session. Then the following week gets interesting again, though more uncertain. September 16th and 17th see some big swell pumping in, but the wind is messy and cross-shore, which will chop things up at a reef break. It's promising but the confidence isn't as high that far out.
So, for the true best on offer, it's Monday the 14th through Tuesday the 15th. That's your window for the cleanest, most powerful, and most rewarding surf of the entire 16-day run.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu afternoon, min 9°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue afternoon, min 8°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Mon morning, calm by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | S 9 | SSW 10 | SSW 17 | S 17 | S 16 | SSW 9 | S 10 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 10 | S 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1077 | 613 | 325 | 146 | 71 | 29 | 89 | 87 | 73 | 102 | 100 | 52 | 46 | 1400 | 1115 | 450 | 266 | 127 | 72 | 50 | 67 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross | off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:59AM1.73m | 10:30PM1.68m | 10:50AM1.74m | 11:22PM1.67m | 11:46AM1.74m | 00:17AM1.65m | 12:46PM1.73m | 1:15AM1.63m | 1:45PM1.73m | 2:15AM1.61m | 2:43PM1.74m | 3:14AM1.61m | 3:41PM1.74m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:20PM0.25m | 4:42AM0.24m | 5:13PM0.25m | 5:34AM0.23m | 6:09PM0.23m | 6:29AM0.21m | 7:08PM0.21m | 7:26AM0.19m | 8:07PM0.18m | 8:26AM0.16m | 9:05PM0.15m | 9:27AM0.13m | 10:02PM0.13m | ||||||||
6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | |
— | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 17 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 11 |
Feels °C | 15 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | S 9 | SSW 10 | S 10 | SSW 12 | NE 6 | NE 6 | S 10 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 7 | S 10 |
1077 | 613 | 325 | 146 | 71 | 29 | 89 | 87 | 73 | 102 | 48 | 50 | 11 | 6 | 1115 | 450 | 266 | 127 | 72 | 30 | 67 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 9 | NE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | NNE 4 | NNE 5 | S 15 | S 15 | NE 5 | S 18 | SSW 17 | S 17 | SSW 10 | NE 9 | SSW 16 | S 15 | S 15 | NE 5 | SSW 10 | S 10 | SE 7 |
14 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 17 | 8 | 55 | 100 | 52 | 20 | 3 | 24 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 18 | 50 | 14 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ENE 10 | S 20 | S 17 | S 16 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | NE 4 | E 10 | E 10 | S 16 | — | SSW 15 | NE 16 | E 16 | S 13 | NE 6 | E 15 | NE 7 |
— | — | 10 | 8 | 24 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 46 | — | 21 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 14 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 3 | — | NW 3 | NW 3 | WNW 4 | SW 4 | NW 3 | — | WNW 3 | NW 3 | NNW 3 | NE 5 | NW 3 | SSW 9 | — | NNE 7 | NNE 4 | WNW 3 | — | NE 8 | WSW 4 |
7 | — | 3 | 5 | 11 | 12 | 2 | — | 3 | 2 | 3 | 37 | 2 | 1400 | — | 11 | 12 | 1 | — | 14 | 12 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 7 | 33 | 33 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 129 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 33 | 1 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










