Te Araroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for Te Araroa over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next few days are a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a solid stretch of poor conditions to kick things off. The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until Saturday morning, the 1st of August. That morning, we’re looking at a clean 4ft swell from the NW with a short period of 7 seconds, and a cross-offshore breeze from the SSE at 9 mph. The combined energy is moderate at 343, so it’s not a powerhouse, but it’s clean and rideable. Nothing to get too excited about, but it’s a start.

The standout in this whole forecast, the one that’s got my attention, is Thursday morning, the 6th of August. This is the one to circle on the calendar. We’ve got a 6ft swell from the NNW, and the wind is going glassy – dead calm at 3 mph from the WNW. That’s a rare treat. The combined energy is a solid 268, so there’s some push behind it. The water is sitting at 60°F, which is about average for this time of year, so no crazy temperature surprises. The kicker is, the swell period is only 6 seconds, so it’s a bit of a short-period, wind-swell affair. It’ll be fun, but not the kind of groundswell that’s going to peel for days. Still, for clean, glassy waves, you’d be a fool to miss it.

Now, that same afternoon, the 6th, things get a bit wild. The swell jumps to 12ft from the NW and the combined energy goes through the roof to 1768. That’s a lot of water moving around. The wind is a moderate cross-onshore at 12 mph, and it’s going to be choppy. This is expert territory only – way too big for beginners, and honestly, with that onshore wind, it’s going to be a messy, powerful beast. If you’re not a pro, sit this one out.

After that, the second week gets a bit patchy. Sunday morning, the 9th of August, we get a clean 5ft SE swell with a 7-8 second period and a cross-offshore breeze. Combined energy around 327 – it’s a solid, clean option. Then on Wednesday morning, the 12th, there’s a 6ft swell from the E with a 12-second period (groundswell), and the combined energy hits 1123. The wind is light onshore, but that long period means it’ll be better suited for the point than the beach, as it might break too straight for the sand. It’s a promising one, but it’s a week and a half out, so keep your fingers crossed.

The long and short of it: Thursday the 6th is your best bet for glassy, clean waves. Don’t sleep on it.

Rusty.

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