Surf Forecasts:
Te Araroa surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 30 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 7s period, NNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 7s period, NW swell with 777 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 7s period with NNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Te Araroa this week:
The surf forecast for Te Araroa over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Te Araroa in the next 16 days are 2.5m 7s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 30) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Sun 30th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Sun 30th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Te Araroa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here, your local surf reporter for the Te Araroa region, lookin’ after the East Cape. Let’s be straight with you: the next 16 days are a tough stretch for surfers. The good news is there’s no huge gap at the start with zero options, but the first week or so is mostly small, weak, and ordinary. We finally see a bit of size and energy come through around the 4th of September and into the following week, but it comes with strong cross-shore winds that mess up the quality. The standout is the morning of the 7th of September, when we get a clean, glassy session that’s easily the best of the bunch. Water temperature here is 58°F, pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year.
Te Araroa itself is a beach and point setup, consistent and beginner-friendly, exposed to swell but needing that NE direction from the optimum. The first few days—starting Wednesday the 26th of August—are a washout. We’re looking at tiny 1 ft to 1 ft swell from the SE, with periods around 13 seconds, but combined energy is a measly 41 to 43 (weak). Winds are cross-off or cross, and the conditions are clean but the surf is just too small and weak to get excited about. Thursday the 27th is similarly tiny, though the morning is glassy with a 3 mph southerly—still, only 1 ft of swell means you’d be waiting forever for a waist-high set. Friday the 28th brings a bump from the NNE at 2 ft but it’s a 4-second period windswell, onshore, with no energy (20). That’s a no-go. Saturday the 29th sees a jump in size to 7 ft from the NW, but it’s cross-on with rain and a combined energy of 418 (moderate to strong). The period is short at 7 seconds, so it’s lumpy and choppy. The afternoon hits 8 ft from the NW, but again cross-shore and messy—only for experts, and even then it’s marginal with a score of 1. Sunday the 30th backs off to 3 ft from the N, cross-off wind, still weak energy (143), and just ordinary. Monday the 31st is similar, small and clean but nothing worth paddling out for.
We roll into September with nothing better. Tuesday the 1st has 2 ft to 2 ft swells, cross-off winds, and combined energy under 70. The afternoon is “surfable but very ordinary”—that about sums it up. Wednesday the 2nd brings 5 ft from the WNW, but with a fresh 19 mph cross-shore wind and energy at 179 (weak-moderate), it’s lumpy and cross-chop. Not worth it. The 3rd of September is tiny again, 1 ft, waste of time. Then Friday the 4th of September finally shows some promise: a morning of 4 ft from the WNW, but with cross-shore winds at 12 mph and energy of 113 (weak-moderate). The afternoon jumps to 7 ft from the NW, combined energy of 373 (moderate-strong), but the period is 6 seconds and winds are 16 mph cross-shore—choppy and messy. Still not a true standout. Saturday the 5th has 6 ft to 5 ft from the NW, cross to cross-off winds, energy around 250, but the quality is marginal at best.
Now, the best of the forecast lands on Sunday the 7th of September. Early morning, it’s glassy with a light WSW wind at 3 mph, 4 ft swell from the NW at 6 seconds, and combined energy of 118 (weak-moderate). The swell direction (NW) is not the optimum NE, and the period is short, but the clean glassy conditions make it the standout session. Small but clean waves, perfect for a longboard or a funboarder who doesn’t mind the smaller size. The break is consistent and never crowded, so you’ll have plenty of room. After that, it drops off again—Monday the 8th of September is tiny and cross-shore, and the rest of the second week stays small (1 ft to 2 ft) with weak energy until the afternoon of the 10th of September, when we see 2 ft from the NE with a light offshore southerly at 6 mph, combined energy 95 (weak), and clean conditions—surfable but very ordinary.
Overall, don’t expect any pumping sessions. The swell is too small and wind-prone for most of the window. The glassy morning on the 7th of September is your best bet for a quiet, clean surf. For bigger days around the 4th to 6th of September, the strong cross-shore winds and short period make it more suited to a kite surfer than a paddler—especially at a beach break. That’s the call.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Fri morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Wed morning, min 11°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon morning, min 9°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SSE 18 | SE 11 | NE 4 | NW 5 | NW 6 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NNW 7 | N 7 | N 7 | NE 10 | NNE 10 | WNW 5 | NNE 10 | NNE 10 | NE 10 | NE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
27 | 43 | 23 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 54 | 138 | 386 | 777 | 236 | 86 | 68 | 49 | 64 | 76 | 90 | 65 | 44 | 30 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 5:37PM1.90m | 5:37AM1.87m | 6:18PM1.95m | 6:23AM1.91m | 6:56PM1.99m | 7:06AM1.93m | 7:34PM2.03m | 7:48AM1.95m | 8:13PM2.04m | 8:30AM1.97m | 8:54PM2.02m | 9:12AM1.99m | 9:39PM2.00m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:17AM0.64m | 11:43PM0.69m | 12:00PM0.56m | 00:29AM0.61m | 12:41PM0.49m | 1:14AM0.52m | 1:22PM0.44m | 1:56AM0.43m | 2:05PM0.40m | 2:38AM0.36m | 2:49PM0.39m | 3:20AM0.32m | 3:34PM0.40m | ||||||||
6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | |
— | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | 3 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 |
Feels °C | 12 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | SSE 18 | SSE 8 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SE 13 | SE 12 | N 7 | N 7 | NE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | WNW 7 | SSE 17 | SSE 12 |
27 | 43 | 23 | 45 | 12 | 120 | 22 | 93 | 53 | 46 | 27 | 35 | 86 | 68 | 49 | 377 | 313 | 137 | 203 | 550 | 575 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | S 8 | S 8 | SE 12 | SSE 18 | WNW 4 | SE 12 | ENE 5 | E 6 | SE 13 | SSE 11 | NE 10 | NW 6 | NE 10 | SE 12 | WNW 8 | NE 9 | NNE 10 | NNE 10 | WNW 7 | NE 9 |
8 | 6 | 5 | 22 | 64 | 1 | 37 | 4 | 9 | 27 | 23 | 28 | 32 | 23 | 5 | 191 | 39 | 90 | 65 | 50 | 30 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 19 | SSE 18 | NE 10 | SSE 19 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 14 | E 6 | NNE 11 | S 11 | NE 10 | NE 7 | SSE 10 | NNE 10 | NNE 11 | NNE 10 | N 12 | NE 10 | NW 6 |
14 | 32 | 4 | 34 | 33 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 20 | 5 | 13 | 9 | 25 | 8 | 9 | 64 | 47 | 68 | 3 | 44 | 9 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | — | S 4 | ESE 4 | NE 4 | NW 5 | NW 6 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NNW 7 | W 5 | WNW 6 | W 8 | — | WNW 5 | WNW 7 | SSE 8 | SSE 12 | — |
184 | 126 | 69 | — | 7 | 11 | 16 | 54 | 138 | 386 | 777 | 236 | 79 | 255 | 1145 | — | 76 | 579 | 330 | 1170 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 18 | 18 | 67 | 18 | 166 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 67 | 18 | 6 | 18 | 0 | 115 | 9 | 18 | 9 | 35 | 0 | 18 |
Best forecast wave conditions in East Cape | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Te Araroa Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Te Araroa provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Te Araroa can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Te Araroa 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 (Te Araroa) 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 Te Araroa 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 East Cape? If you are looking for accommodation near Te Araroa, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in East Cape, consider staying in Gisborne which is 119 km (74 miles) away.











