Te Araroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let's have a look at what we've got cookin' here. Right off the bat, the next week or so looks pretty grim for a proper paddle. We're lookin' at a long stretch of small, messy conditions that just won't clean up until the back half of the period.

We kick things off on Wednesday the 16th of September and honestly, it's rubbish for ages. That first solid bit of potential doesn't show up until Friday the 18th. We've got a big lump of north swell pushin' in, but the morning's a total write-off with onshore wind and rain. But hold up – Friday afternoon, that's where the magic might happen. Te Araroa sees a solid 8ft groundswell from the north, period around 9 seconds, and the wind goes pure glassy. That's a rare combo, and with the combined energy reading a massive 2181, that's proper juice. This is expert territory only, the size alone tells you that, but for the seasoned crew, that afternoon session is the absolute standout of the whole outlook.

Saturday the 19th is still looking very good. The swell settles a touch to 5ft from the north-northeast, and we're back to glassy conditions in the morning. Combined energy is still a healthy 736, so plenty of push. That'd be a fantastic session for strong intermediates who can handle a solid head-high wave, and the clean conditions should make for some lovely lines.

After that, it drops right back off. Sunday the 20th through to the start of October is mostly ankle-snappers or onshore slop. There's a bit of a pulse around the 25th of September with some 7ft swell from the southeast, but the period is short at 8 seconds and the combo energy of 626 isn't quite backing up the size in a way that makes for good surf. The wind is clean though, so kitesurfers might have a ball even if it's not a paddler's dream.

The next real glimmer is the morning of Saturday the 26th of September. We get a clean 4ft swell from the southeast with an 11-second period. The combined energy is 483, which is moderate, and with light, clean winds, Te Araroa should offer some fun, user-friendly waves. It's not the size of the earlier swell, but it's a far better prospect for a wider range of surfers.

So, to wrap it up: the two real standouts are the Friday the 18th afternoon for the experienced big-wave chargers, and the Saturday the 19th morning for anyone who can handle a solid head-high plus day. Everything else in between is a long wait for something worthwhile.

Rusty.

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