Surf Forecasts:
Te Araroa surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 29 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 7s period, N swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 7s period, NNW swell with 610 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 5s period with WNW 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 Thursday (Aug 27) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 5s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Te Araroa in the next 16 days are 2.4m 7s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 5s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Te Araroa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this outlook for Te Araroa is a tough one. We’re looking at a long, drawn-out period of mostly flat or poor conditions, with only a few brief, very small windows of something surfable.
We kick off Monday the 24th of August with a tiny 1ft swell from the ESE, but the wind is a messy cross-off, and the energy is a weak 33. The water is sitting at 59°, which is about average for this time of year. Honestly, it’s a write-off. This pattern of small, poor surf stretches right through the week. There’s a glimmer on Thursday the 27th afternoon when the wind drops to glassy, but the swell is only 3ft with a short 5-second period from the WNW and a combined energy of just 43. It’s surfable, but really ordinary.
The biggest pulse of the whole run hits on Saturday the 29th of August. The swell jumps to 8ft from the NNW, with a strong combined energy of 572. But the wind is howling cross-onshore at 15 mph, creating a choppy mess. The afternoon drops to 7ft, but the wind is still a cross-shore. That kind of power, with that wind, is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session. This is strictly for experienced surfers who don’t mind a battle, and even then, it’s not pretty.
After that, we slide back into the doldrums. The first week of September is a desert of tiny, weak swells, often with strong winds. Sunday the 6th of September sees a clean but tiny 0.7ft from the ENE with a gentle offshore, but that’s barely a ripple. The energy is a measly 10.
The standout here, if you can call it that, is the glassy window on Thursday the 27th of August afternoon. It’s the cleanest it gets, but the swell is tiny and short-period. The other chance is the very end of the run on Sunday the 6th of September morning with a gentle offshore on a 0.7ft wave. It’s not about size this fortnight; it’s about finding any clean, rideable bump. Honestly, the best advice is to keep an eye on the forecasts, because it tends not to stay this poor for long.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Wed morning, min 9°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Sat morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu morning, min 11°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (calm on Thu morning, fresh winds from the NNW by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 | SE 12 | WNW 5 | ESE 11 | NW 4 | NW 5 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | N 7 | SE 11 | NW 5 | NW 6 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 33 | 34 | 45 | 44 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 12 | 16 | 71 | 180 | 545 | 475 | 135 | 70 | 53 | 69 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy |
High Tide | 3:55PM1.84m | 3:55AM1.79m | 4:50PM1.86m | 4:49AM1.83m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:33AM0.72m | 10:06PM0.79m | 10:28AM0.70m | 10:56PM0.75m | 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 | |||||||
 | |  | | | | | | | | | | |  |  |  | |  | | | | |
 | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — |
 | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 12 |
Feels °C | 11 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 16 | 16 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | NW 6 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SSE 11 | SE 13 | SE 13 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | SSE 19 | SSE 18 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | N 7 | NNE 6 | NE 7 | NW 6 |
| kJ | 158 | 58 | 15 | 44 | 25 | 22 | 27 | 27 | 74 | 43 | 142 | 120 | 59 | 56 | 46 | 40 | 24 | 135 | 70 | 33 | 69 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 13 | SSE 9 | SSE 12 | SSE 8 | SSE 11 | SE 13 | SSE 9 | S 8 | SE 12 | SE 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | NNE 10 | NE 9 | SE 14 | SE 13 | SE 13 | NE 10 | NE 8 | N 6 | NE 7 |
| kJ | 33 | 16 | 44 | 13 | 23 | 25 | 8 | 6 | 24 | 23 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 49 | 34 | 28 | 47 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | ESE 13 | SE 13 | SSE 11 | NE 10 | NE 10 | NE 10 | SE 18 | S 8 | SSE 19 | NE 10 | NE 10 | ESE 12 | SE 15 | NE 9 | S 16 | NNE 11 | SSE 11 | SE 11 | SSE 11 | NE 10 |
| kJ | 8 | 34 | 45 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 6 | 36 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 23 | 59 | 46 | 26 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | W 6 | W 6 | — | — | WNW 5 | NW 4 | NW 4 | NW 5 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | NW 5 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | 85 | 208 | 91 | 130 | 103 | — | — | 26 | 7 | 16 | 71 | 180 | 545 | 475 | 69 | 54 | 53 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 18 | 116 | 6 | 67 | 166 | 67 | 18 | 18 | 56 | 67 | 0 | 6 | 18 | 18 | 120 | 18 | 56 | 0 | 18 | 9 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in East Cape | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
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