
Surf Forecasts:
Stent Road surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 16 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 16s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, WSW swell with 4,437 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 11 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 14s period with WSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Stent Road this week:
The surf forecast for Stent Road over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 1.2m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Stent Road in the next 16 days are 3.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) 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 2.3m 10s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 09) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Sun 16th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Sat 15th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Stent Road over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Righto, grab your wettie and paddle out, because the next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag. We’re looking at a slow start before things properly kick off. The first few days are pretty marginal, so if you’re itching for a wave, you’ll have to work for it. There’s a bit of a lull early on, but don’t write it off just yet. Let’s break it down day by day.
We’re starting off a little slow this Sunday the 9th. Stent Road is seeing a small 3.6ft to 3.9ft of WSW swell with a long 15-second period, but the morning is getting chopped up by a cross-onshore breeze. The energy is moderate at best (765), and it’s just not clean. It’s a bit of a grind for not much return. The water is sitting at a normal 57.4°, which is about average for this time of year, so no worries there.
Monday the 10th bumps up slightly to 4.3ft, but the wind is still cross-onshore and it’s getting a bit bumpy. The energy is moderate (1147), but it’s still got that messy feel. Not the day to be picky.
Now, Tuesday the 11th is where we start seeing a glimmer. The morning is looking cleaner with a light cross-offshore wind from the SE. Swell is 3.9ft from the WSW with a 13-second period. The energy drops a bit (565), but the clean conditions make it much more user-friendly. It’s surfable, but still not a standout.
Wednesday and Thursday the 12th and 13th see the swell dip slightly, but the wind is offshore and the surf is staying clean. It’s small, in the 2.6ft to 4.6ft range, but the conditions are tidy. The energy is weak to moderate, so it’s a longboard or a high-performance shortboard kind of morning.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Friday the 14th is your first real window. The afternoon is looking glassy with a light offshore. The swell is 4.3ft from the WSW with a 14-second period. The energy is moderate (909), but the lack of wind is going to make it super clean. This is a good one, but it’s not the big winner of the week.
Hold on to your hat, because the weekend is going to be a proper event. Saturday the 15th is blown out. The wind is howling cross-onshore at 22 mph and the swell jumps to 6.9ft. It’s lumpy and messy, not worth the paddle. The energy is strong (2329), but it’s all over the place.
That brings us to Sunday the 16th. This is the one. The morning has a decent 7.5ft WSW swell with a solid 16-second period, and it’s clean with a cross-offshore breeze. The energy is seriously strong (3499). By the afternoon, it’s dropping slightly to 8.2ft but the wind becomes light and offshore, making for absolutely excellent conditions for experienced surfers. This is the standout, no question. It’s big, powerful, and clean. A long-period swell like this is best on a reef or point break, and Stent Road is exactly that, so the setup should be firing. Don’t be a hero if you’re not experienced, because at 8.2ft this is strictly for the crew who know what they’re doing.
Monday the 17th keeps the size up at 7.9ft with a clean morning, but it's slightly less clean in the afternoon with a cross-on breeze. Still, it’s a solid day for the experienced crowd. The energy remains strong (2602).
The rest of the second week, from the 18th through the 23rd, eases down into the 5.2ft to 3.6ft range. The winds stay light and often offshore or glassy, which is fantastic. The energy is moderate, and it’s going to be clean and fun, but a step down from the Sunday/Monday big swell. There are some nice mornings in there, especially the 18th, 19th, and 20th, which are all clean and in the chest-to-head high range.
By the 21st and 22nd, it’s glassy but the swell is dropping. We’re looking at 3.6ft to 4.9ft waves, still clean but losing steam. The 23rd sees it fade more, down to under 3ft.
Then, we hit the end of the window. The 24th is tiny, around 1.6ft. The energy is weak (134), and it’s pretty ordinary. There might be a ripple in the afternoon with the glassy conditions, but honestly, that’s it for the run.
So, the standout is absolutely Sunday the 16th. Big, clean, and powerful. If you can only get out once in this window, make it then. The Friday the 14th glassy session is a good warm-up, and the clean mornings in the middle of the second week are great for a fun, less intense surf.
Be warned, there’s about a four-day gap at the start with no real recommendations, and the run fades out at the end. But for a couple of days there, it’s going to be seriously good.
Alright, I’ve gotta
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Very mild (max 13°C on Sun morning, min 10°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 46mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu afternoon, min 11°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri morning, fresh winds from the SW by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 13 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 18 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WNW 12 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
498 | 573 | 440 | 838 | 784 | 834 | 506 | 414 | 333 | 399 | 288 | 193 | 233 | 598 | 627 | 724 | 660 | 385 | 1633 | 1223 | 4161 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 6:46PM2.73m | 7:16AM2.71m | 7:52PM2.93m | 8:18AM2.89m | 8:47PM3.15m | 9:10AM3.06m | 9:35PM3.32m | 9:58AM3.18m | 10:20PM3.41m | 10:41AM3.23m | 11:01PM3.42m | 11:22AM3.22m | 11:41PM3.35m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:24PM0.61m | 1:04AM0.61m | 1:31PM0.45m | 2:08AM0.41m | 2:29PM0.26m | 3:02AM0.20m | 3:20PM0.09m | 3:51AM0.04m | 4:07PM-0.02m | 4:36AM-0.05m | 4:51PM-0.05m | 5:18AM-0.05m | 5:33PM0.01m | ||||||||
7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | |
— | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | |
mm | 9 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 4 | — | 27 | 8 | — | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 8 |
Feels °C | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 1 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 10 | NW 10 | NNW 9 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 17 | N 7 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 8 | WSW 16 |
1983 | 998 | 398 | 838 | 784 | 834 | 506 | 414 | 202 | 399 | 217 | 158 | 223 | 598 | 521 | 724 | 660 | 384 | 1633 | 472 | 4161 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 13 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | WSW 20 | WSW 18 | S 4 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | W 10 | NNW 7 | WSW 16 | WSW 18 | WSW 13 | S 6 |
498 | 573 | 440 | 144 | 103 | 150 | 50 | 301 | 333 | 1 | 288 | 193 | 233 | 487 | 627 | 158 | 81 | 385 | 670 | 968 | 17 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 19 | WSW 18 | WSW 8 | S 10 | S 10 | NNW 8 | SSE 5 | WSW 7 | SSE 4 | S 8 | WNW 13 | WSW 19 | WSW 18 | S 9 | — | NNE 5 | WSW 18 | W 9 | S 6 | WSW 16 | — |
267 | 249 | 147 | 2 | 2 | 35 | 9 | 25 | 7 | 1 | 57 | 124 | 178 | 2 | — | 17 | 249 | 78 | 26 | 1223 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | WSW 8 | WSW 7 | — | — | SSE 6 | NE 2 | N 6 | — | N 7 | N 6 | N 5 | NNE 4 | — | — | SSE 4 | — | SSE 6 | SSE 6 |
— | — | — | 307 | 249 | — | — | 24 | 2 | 110 | — | 184 | 64 | 27 | 6 | — | — | 25 | — | 27 | 34 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 87 | 28 | 96 | 46 | 227 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 19 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 87 | 112 | 269 | 3 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Taranaki | |||||||||||||||||||||
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)
Latest Updates
Information about the Stent Road Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Stent Road provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Stent Road can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Stent Road 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 (Stent Road) 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 Stent Road 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Taranaki? If you are looking for accommodation near Stent Road, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Taranaki, consider staying in New Plymouth which is 33 km (20 miles) away.











