Surf Forecasts:
Te Araroa surf forecast from 5 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 8 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 8s period, NW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 7s period, NW swell with 830 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 8s period with NW 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 Tuesday (Sep 08) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 16s. 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 3.0m 7s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) 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 8s period and expected on Friday (Sep 11) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Te Araroa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next couple of weeks for Te Araroa. It’s a consistent beach and point set-up that likes swell from the NE, and right now, we’re in a bit of a dry spell.
Mate, I gotta be honest: the first week is a tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of nothing from Saturday, the 5th, all the way through to about Monday, the 7th, with just tiny, weak waves and poor conditions. The water temp is sitting at 58°F, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The first real glimmer comes on Tuesday, the 8th. The morning sees a bit of a lift with a 6ft swell from the NNW, but it’s a cross-off wind. The real treat is the afternoon. The wind goes glassy, and the swell holds at 6ft, producing a moderate combined energy of 406. It’s clean, it’s glassy, and it’s our first proper chance to get wet. This is the standout of the first week.
After that, we drop back into the doldrums. From Wednesday, the 9th, right through to Wednesday, the 16th, it’s a whole lot of nothing. Swell drops below 3ft, energy is weak, and the wind is all over the shop. There are a few moments of clean conditions with light winds, but the waves are just too small to get excited about. It’s a frustrating, flat run.
Then things get interesting, but not for the faint-hearted. On Thursday, the 17th, a massive pulse shows up. We’re talking a 13ft swell from the NNW with a combined energy of 2000. That is a lot of power. The wind is a messy cross, and the wave comment says it’s too big for this break. This is strictly for experts only, and even then, it’s going to be a wild, powerful beast. The afternoon settles a bit to 10ft and a cleaner cross-off, but it’s still huge.
Friday, the 18th, stays big with 8ft from the NNW in the morning (energy of 1814) and a light cross-on wind. It’s on the edge of being manageable, but it’s still a big, lumpy day. The weekend the 19th and 20th sees the swell drop back into the 5ft to 6ft range, but the wind is onshore and choppy, so it’s not a clean wave.
So, the bottom line: If you’re a beginner, there’s nothing for you here. The only real standout for a clean, fun session is Tuesday afternoon, the 8th. For the big-wave chargers, Thursday the 17th is your window, but it’s a serious, expert-only mission. Otherwise, it’s a long wait for some decent surf.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun morning, min 10°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NW on Mon morning, calm by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu morning, min 9°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | WNW 5 | NW 6 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NW 8 | NE 8 | NNE 7 | WNW 5 | NE 14 | NE 9 | NE 14 | NE 14 | ENE 13 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 128 | 231 | 593 | 830 | 557 | 361 | 394 | 313 | 75 | 58 | 51 | 65 | 31 | 41 | 47 | 29 | 17 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 12:38PM1.96m | 00:59AM1.97m | 1:41PM1.96m | 1:59AM1.96m | 2:50PM1.99m | 3:05AM1.94m | 3:58PM2.05m | 4:12AM1.93m | 4:58PM2.11m | 5:15AM1.95m | 5:52PM2.15m | 6:13AM1.99m | 6:41PM2.15m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:01PM0.58m | 7:25AM0.48m | 8:05PM0.61m | 8:28AM0.49m | 9:11PM0.62m | 9:32AM0.48m | 10:14PM0.58m | 10:34AM0.45m | 11:16PM0.53m | 11:31AM0.43m | 00:13AM0.45m | 12:26PM0.41m | 1:06AM0.39m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | |  |  | |  | |  | | | | | |  | | | | | |
 | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — |
 | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | 3 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 12 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | SSE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | E 10 | E 9 | NW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | NNE 7 | NE 7 | SSE 8 | NE 9 | NE 9 | SSE 8 | ENE 13 |
| kJ | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 557 | 361 | 394 | 313 | 119 | 79 | 51 | 37 | 24 | 41 | 20 | 22 | 17 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 9 | ENE 10 | SSE 9 | S 8 | — | E 16 | NE 16 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | NW 8 | NE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | NE 7 | SSE 8 | NE 14 | NE 14 | NNE 12 |
| kJ | 9 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 1 | — | 5 | 10 | 72 | 116 | 108 | 75 | 58 | 53 | 35 | 16 | 24 | 47 | 29 | 15 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 10 | N 10 | SE 11 | — | S 20 | S 18 | — | E 11 | NE 10 | NE 16 | NE 17 | NNE 15 | NE 8 | NW 8 | NW 7 | NE 14 | NE 14 | NNE 13 | SSE 8 | NE 9 | ENE 9 |
| kJ | 2 | 2 | 5 | — | 8 | 6 | — | 2 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 23 | 53 | 45 | 24 | 29 | 31 | 17 | 13 | 21 | 8 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | NW 6 | NW 7 | NW 7 | — | SSE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | W 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 |
| kJ | 224 | 165 | 176 | 91 | 128 | 231 | 593 | 830 | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | 65 | 207 | 331 | 494 | 653 | 1241 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 73 | 168 | 116 | 67 | 67 | 75 | 118 | 67 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 121 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 9 | 0 | 18 | 559 |
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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