Surf Forecasts:
Rolling Stones surf forecast from 24 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 15s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 1 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 15s period, S swell with 6,638 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 25 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 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 Tuesday (Aug 25) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 13s. 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 4.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 29) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 13ft (4.0m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rolling Stones over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next couple of weeks for Rolling Stones. This is a reef break that needs a solid south swell, and it’s fairly consistent when the conditions line up. We’ve got a bit of a slow start, a solid pulse of energy, and then a long, drawn-out fade.
The first real surfable window opens up on Tuesday morning, the 25th of August. We’ve got a clean 4-foot south swell, with a nice 12-second period and a light cross-offshore breeze. The combined energy is moderate at 466. It’s a good start, nothing insane, but clean and rideable. That afternoon, the wind shifts and the quality drops, so aim for the morning.
Wednesday the 26th looks better. The swell drops a touch to 3 feet in the morning, but the period jumps to a very long 18 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, bringing a lot of energy for its size – the combined energy is 515. With a light cross-off breeze, it’ll be clean and lined up. The afternoon holds similar potential with a 3-foot, 16-second swell and clean conditions.
Thursday the 27th is where things get interesting, but it’s a mixed bag. The swell jumps to 6 feet in the morning with a 17-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 1885, which is solid. The issue is the wind is onshore. That’s going to mess with the surface. The afternoon sees the swell push to 7 feet, but the wind is straight cross, so it’ll be bumpy and less inviting. The energy is high at 2825, but the quality won’t match the power.
Friday the 28th is a better bet. The morning has a 5-foot, 13-second swell with a cross-off breeze, making it clean. The afternoon is a standout with a 4-foot swell and a moderate offshore wind from the NNW. That’s the magic word – offshore. Combined energy is 543, and it’ll be clean with some push.
The weekend of the 29th and 30th is on the smaller side. The swells drop below 3 feet, and the energy fades into the low hundreds. It’s surfable but ordinary. Sunday morning the 30th is glassy with a 2-foot swell, but it’s small.
Now, the big one. Mark your calendar for Tuesday, the 1st of September. That’s the real standout. We’ve got a 10-foot south swell with a 14-second period slamming in. The combined energy is a massive 3574 – that’s strong, powerful surf. The wind is a clean cross-off breeze in the morning. This is excellent for experienced surfers only. 8 feet is already expert territory, and 10 feet is a big, powerful wave at a reef break. The afternoon stays solid at 8 feet with a proper offshore wind. This is the best of the run.
The first week of September holds some size. Wednesday the 2nd is smaller with 5 feet, and Thursday the 3rd has a weird 8-foot swell from the SSW with a very short 6-second period, which is just a mess. The wind is wrong, and it’s choppy. That’s a kite day, not a paddle day.
The following weekend, the 5th of September, brings a glassy morning with a 5-foot, 13-second swell. Combined energy is 826. That’s a very good session, clean and punchy. But the afternoon picks up an onshore breeze.
After that, it’s a long, slow fade. From the 6th of September onwards, the swells drop right off, with combined energy falling to the low hundreds, then down to the tens. There’s a gap of several days with virtually nothing of note. The pulse on the 9th of September is a 5-foot, 8-second swell, but it’s short-period and bumpy.
So, the best of the lot is undeniably Tuesday, the 1st of September. That’s the big, clean, expert-level swell. My second pick would be the Saturday morning, the 5th of September, for a much more manageable, glassy session. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed afternoon, min 9°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Sat morning, min 11°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | ||||||||||||||
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 12 | S 12 | S 15 | S 18 | S 16 | S 16 | S 17 | S 17 | S 15 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
851 | 439 | 294 | 218 | 390 | 520 | 391 | 1722 | 2813 | 1635 | 780 | 534 | 290 | 209 | 157 | 116 | 73 | 31 | 26 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | glassy | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 2:58AM1.40m | 3:28PM1.49m | 3:46AM1.38m | 4:13PM1.49m | 4:33AM1.38m | 4:59PM1.50m | 5:22AM1.41m | 5:47PM1.53m | 6:11AM1.46m | 6:33PM1.57m | 6:58AM1.52m | 7:20PM1.62m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:11AM0.44m | 9:43PM0.43m | 10:00AM0.41m | 10:29PM0.39m | 10:48AM0.36m | 11:15PM0.34m | 11:32AM0.32m | 00:03AM0.30m | 12:17PM0.28m | 00:49AM0.26m | 1:02PM0.25m | 1:35AM0.24m | |||||||
— | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 19 | 18 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 12 |
Feels °C | 8 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 14 | 16 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 18 | S 16 | S 16 | S 17 | S 17 | S 15 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 7 |
851 | 439 | 294 | 143 | 390 | 520 | 391 | 1722 | 2813 | 1635 | 780 | 534 | 290 | 209 | 157 | 116 | 73 | 31 | 26 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 4 | SE 13 | S 18 | S 15 | SSW 10 | SE 13 | SE 12 | SSW 7 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | SE 15 | NE 5 | ESE 14 | SE 13 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | S 9 |
3 | 27 | 97 | 218 | 98 | 26 | 23 | 77 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 25 | 18 | 28 | 30 | 23 | 9 | 7 | 16 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 13 | NE 5 | SE 13 | SE 12 | SE 13 | NE 10 | E 10 | ESE 11 | — | E 16 | SE 15 | SE 15 | N 9 | SE 13 | S 16 | S 15 | SSW 14 | SW 5 | ENE 6 |
45 | 3 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 4 | 2 | 12 | — | 5 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 28 | 21 | 67 | 36 | 4 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 4 | WNW 3 | — | — | NW 3 | — | NW 3 | S 6 | — | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 7 | SSW 3 | WNW 3 | — | NW 3 |
10 | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | 74 | — | 14 | 29 | 50 | 35 | 31 | 100 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 64 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.











