
Surf Forecasts:
Rolling Stones surf forecast from 6 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 7 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 17s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 7 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 14s period, S swell with 2,507 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 7 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 17s 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 Friday (Aug 07) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 17s period with a secondary swell of 1.8m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rolling Stones in the next 16 days are 2.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 07) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 6s period and expected on Friday (Aug 14) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Fri 7th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 17s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Fri 7th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Fri 7th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rolling Stones over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright crew, Rusty here. Let’s break it down.
We’ve got a solid run of swell on the way for Rolling Stones, but you gotta be sharp on the timing. The first proper surf kicks off Friday morning, August 7th, with a clean, glassy start. That’s the pick of the early window. We’re looking at a 4ft S swell with a very long period of 17 seconds, packing a punch with a combined energy of 1784 – that’s a lot of power. The wind is glassy, which is a major positive, so the reef will be clean. This is excellent for experienced surfers, as the long period and 4ft will produce solid, well-shaped waves. Keep in mind the optimum direction is S, so this is perfect. Crowds are possible, so get in early.
Friday afternoon sees the swell jump to 7ft from the S, but the wind swings cross-on from the E, messing it up a bit. The energy is high at 2408, but the quality drops.
Saturday morning, August 8th, is another good call. The swell is 7ft from the S, period drops to 12 seconds, but the wind is offshore from the NW, giving us clean conditions. The energy is still strong at 1289. This is a solid option for the weekend. By Saturday afternoon, it’s dropping to 6ft with a cross-shore wind, so morning is your window.
Sunday morning, August 9th, offers a cleaner 4ft S swell (11 sec period) with a cross-off wind, but the energy is down to 608. It’s surfable, but not the standout.
The week from Monday, August 10th, through to Saturday, August 15th, drops off significantly. Most days have tiny, weak swell under 3ft and low energy (under 500). There are a few glassy moments, like Monday afternoon and Thursday morning, but the waves are just too small to get excited about. It’s a long, flat stretch.
Things change dramatically from Sunday, August 16th. The swell picks up, but so does the wind. Sunday afternoon brings a 8ft S swell, but it’s onshore and messy – a no-go for surfing. Monday, August 17th, cranks up to 12ft from the SSW with strong onshore winds. That’s big, unruly, and dangerous. The combined energy on Monday afternoon is 2254, but it’s a washout. The same goes for Tuesday, August 18th, with 12ft to 13ft SSW swell and cross-onshore wind. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-in session.
The real standout for the second week is Wednesday morning, August 19th. The swell drops to a solid 12ft from the S, period is 11 seconds, and the wind is light and cross-offshore from the W. The energy is massive at 3248, and the conditions are clean. This is a big, powerful day for experienced surfers only. After that, Thursday, August 20th, and Friday, August 21st, offer cleaner, more manageable 8ft and 6ft SSE swells with glassy or offshore winds, but the energy is moderate. It’s a promising end to the period, but the long-range stuff is always a bit less certain.
The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no need to worry about any weird cold snaps.
So, the true standout is Friday morning, August 7th, for the classic, clean, long-period S swell. If you’re an experienced surfer, hold out for Wednesday morning, August 19th, for the big, clean power.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun morning, min 4°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Sun night. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon afternoon, min 9°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | ||||||||||||||
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 10 | S 17 | S 15 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 14 | S 12 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 12 | S 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
849 | 941 | 1860 | 1866 | 1233 | 911 | 555 | 326 | 260 | 353 | 177 | 131 | 101 | 269 | 176 | 118 | 92 | 85 | 64 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | off | off | cross | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:41PM1.67m | 12:04PM1.70m | 00:33AM1.67m | 1:01PM1.74m | 1:29AM1.67m | 2:00PM1.77m | 2:29AM1.68m | 2:59PM1.81m | 3:29AM1.69m | 3:57PM1.84m | 4:28AM1.70m | 4:56PM1.86m | |||||||
Low Tide | 5:54AM0.28m | 6:23PM0.31m | 6:46AM0.27m | 7:22PM0.29m | 7:41AM0.25m | 8:22PM0.24m | 8:41AM0.22m | 9:21PM0.19m | 9:43AM0.16m | 10:20PM0.15m | 10:43AM0.10m | 11:18PM0.11m | |||||||
— | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 7 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 |
Feels °C | 4 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 15 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 12 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 8 | SSE 10 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 |
849 | 680 | 1860 | 1866 | 1233 | 911 | 555 | 326 | 260 | 353 | 177 | 131 | 88 | 269 | 133 | 118 | 92 | 85 | 64 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 12 | S 17 | SSE 10 | E 14 | ESE 12 | E 13 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | S 14 | NE 7 | NE 6 | NE 5 | S 10 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | S 8 | ENE 6 | E 5 | ENE 5 |
245 | 941 | 370 | 4 | 14 | 4 | 44 | 269 | 232 | 21 | 5 | 5 | 78 | 215 | 176 | 48 | 24 | 14 | 11 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 20 | SE 13 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | NE 13 | NE 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | S 16 | S 16 | SSE 12 | NE 6 | S 15 | S 16 | S 14 | S 13 | S 11 |
30 | 163 | 178 | 24 | 42 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 101 | 6 | 17 | 20 | 4 | 3 | 21 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 3 | NNE 3 | NE 4 | NNW 2 | — | — | SSW 5 | — | NE 3 | NE 5 | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 12 | 1 | — | — | 9 | — | 4 | 51 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
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.











