Surf Forecasts:
Rolling Stones surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 18s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 18s period, S swell with 2,402 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 22 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 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 Saturday (Aug 22) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 9s. 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 2.0m 18s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rolling Stones over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.
We’ve got a solid run of groundswell on the way for Rolling Stones, but it’s a slow start. The first decent session isn’t until Saturday morning, the 22nd. That’s a bit of a gap, so don’t bother checking it before then.
Saturday, August 22nd, morning is where it kicks off. The swell is a clean 4ft from the south with a 12-second period, and the wind is pure offshore from the northwest at 6 mph. It’s clean, it’s groomed, and it’s your first real chance. The combined energy is moderate (424). That afternoon, the wind goes glassy at just 3 mph, and the swell drops a touch to 4ft, but still from the south. For a Saturday, it’s a damn fine start.
Sunday the 23rd is a downgrade – the swell drops to 2ft, and the wind picks up to 16 mph offshore. It’s rideable but ordinary. By afternoon, the swell is tiny and the wind is messing it up. Not worth the paddle.
Monday the 24th is a mixed bag. The morning is a write-off with cross-shore wind and a short period 5ft swell. The afternoon sees a bigger 6ft south swell roll in with a 13-second period, but the wind is cross-onshore. The energy jumps up (1105), but the surface is a mess. You’ll be fighting wind ripples.
Tuesday the 25th is much better. Morning brings a 4ft south swell with a 12-second period and light cross-offshore wind. The energy is moderate (490). Afternoon is similar, with a 3ft swell and light wind. Clean, consistent lines.
Wednesday the 26th starts with a gem: 3ft of very long-period groundswell from the south – 18 seconds, with light cross-offshore wind. That’s the kind of period that will wrap beautifully into this reef. The energy is still moderate (586). The afternoon slips a bit with some cross-chop from a sea breeze.
Thursday the 27th is a standout. The morning shows 5ft of clean south groundswell at 14 seconds, with light offshore wind. The energy is strong (1228). It’s one of the best-looking windows in the whole run. The afternoon gets bigger, 6ft at 17 seconds, but the wind goes cross-shore, so the morning is the session to lock in.
Friday the 28th keeps the quality going. Morning: 6ft of south swell at 14 seconds, with a solid offshore breeze from the north-northwest at 9 mph. The energy is strong (1167). The afternoon holds at 6ft, with offshore wind still. This is a full day of clean, powerful waves.
Saturday the 29th is a drop-off. Swell backs down to 4ft, wind is offshore but light. It’s surfable, but nothing special.
Then we hit a flat spell from Sunday the 30th through Monday the 31st. Tiny waves, weak energy (under 200), and cross-shore winds. Don’t bother.
Tuesday, September 1st, a new pulse arrives. The morning packs 7ft of south swell at 12 seconds, but the wind is a moderate cross-offshore at 16 mph. The energy is strong (1061), but the surface won’t be perfect. For stronger surfers, it’s worth a look.
Wednesday, September 2nd, is a complete washout. Rain showers, strong cross-shore wind at 22 mph, and lumpy, collapsed waves. Kite surfers might be having a ball, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a hard no.
Now, the big one. Thursday, September 3rd, morning. This is the standout of the entire 16-day window. A massive 12ft south swell, with a 15-second period, and light offshore wind. The combined energy is enormous (4822). This is a serious, powerful, expert-only groundswell. The reef will be handling it, but the size is intimidating. If you’ve got the skills, this is the session. Afternoon drops to 8ft with offshore wind. Still huge, still demanding.
Friday, September 4th, the swell drops to a more manageable 5ft with offshore wind, but the energy is moderate. A good day for the less experienced.
Saturday, September 5th, the run ends with a glassy 3ft south groundswell at 15 seconds. Clean, small, and a nice way to wrap it up.
Water temperature at Rolling Stones is 54°, which is 3° colder than the usual for this time of year. It’s a bit chilly, so you’ll want a thicker wetsuit.
Best on offer: Thursday, August 27th morning for the clean, strong, long-period swell, and Thursday, September 3rd morning for the raw, powerful, expert-level groundswell.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat afternoon, min 7°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NW on Sat afternoon, fresh winds from the NW by Sun morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu morning, min 9°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | ||||||||||||||
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 16 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SSW 8 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 18 | S 16 | S 15 | S 14 | S 17 | S 17 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
1402 | 653 | 400 | 319 | 189 | 102 | 48 | 43 | 300 | 1070 | 1070 | 464 | 248 | 177 | 492 | 635 | 763 | 918 | 1702 | 2347 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | off | off | glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off |
High Tide | 00:35AM1.57m | 1:06PM1.58m | 1:22AM1.51m | 1:56PM1.54m | 2:10AM1.45m | 2:43PM1.52m | 2:58AM1.40m | 3:28PM1.49m | 3:46AM1.38m | 4:13PM1.49m | 4:33AM1.38m | 4:59PM1.50m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:30PM0.44m | 6:49AM0.45m | 7:20PM0.47m | 7:35AM0.46m | 8:10PM0.48m | 8:23AM0.46m | 8:57PM0.47m | 9:11AM0.44m | 9:43PM0.43m | 10:00AM0.41m | 10:29PM0.39m | 10:48AM0.36m | 11:15PM0.34m | |||||||
— | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | |
5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 9 | 14 | 16 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 19 | 15 |
Feels °C | 10 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 16 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 16 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SE 13 | SSW 8 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 18 | S 16 | S 15 | S 14 | S 17 | S 17 |
1402 | 653 | 400 | 319 | 189 | 102 | 48 | 43 | 300 | 1070 | 1070 | 464 | 248 | 177 | 492 | 635 | 763 | 918 | 1702 | 2347 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | SE 13 | SSE 9 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | SE 13 | S 16 | S 14 | S 10 | SW 6 | ESE 12 | S 18 | S 18 | NE 4 |
102 | 43 | 20 | 7 | 33 | 34 | 44 | 17 | 34 | 35 | 35 | 26 | 174 | 150 | 67 | 9 | 14 | 298 | 492 | 7 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 16 | E 15 | ESE 14 | — | — | NE 4 | NNE 5 | S 18 | NE 11 | NE 11 | NE 4 | SE 13 | ESE 12 | SE 13 | SE 13 | NE 10 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 |
— | 129 | 4 | 19 | — | — | 5 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 26 | 15 | 27 | 27 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 10 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NE 3 | WNW 2 | — | NW 4 | N 3 | NW 4 | SW 4 | — | — | NNE 3 | WNW 3 | N 5 | NW 2 | NW 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 2 | 1 | — | 13 | 8 | 24 | 15 | — | — | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 33 | 8 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
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.











