Te Araroa Surf Break

Lat Long: 37.63° S 178.38° E

Te Araroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 am 29 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Te Araroa sea temperature is
15.7° C
0.7° 

Te Araroa surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Te Araroa surf forecast from 29 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 1 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 7s period, NW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 31 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 8s period, NW swell with 1,164 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 1 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 7s 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 Saturday (Aug 01) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m 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 3.0m 8s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 31) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 4.5m 14s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 12PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9AM (Sat 1st Aug)4.5ft (1.3m) 7s
Best Surf 9AM (Sat 1st Aug)4.5ft (1.3m) 7s
Most Powerful 9AM (Fri 31st Jul)10ft (3.0m) 8s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Te Araroa over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s brewing for Te Araroa. We’ve got a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks, with a solid pulse of energy coming through, but you’ve gotta pick your moments.

Right off the bat, Wednesday morning is looking like the standout for the next few days. We’ve got a clean 6ft swell rolling in from the ESE with a period of 13 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, bringing a heap of energy (1126) and delivering excellent conditions for experienced surfers. The wind is light offshore from the SW, so the faces will be smooth. Water temps are sitting at 60°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

Wednesday afternoon, however, takes a turn. The wind swings to a light cross-on from the NNW, and the surf quality drops off. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

Thursday and Friday are a write-off for decent waves. Thursday morning has a moderate cross-onshore wind with a choppy 5ft swell, and by the afternoon it’s messy cross-shore conditions. Friday sees a spike in size to 10ft from the NW, but the period drops to a short 8 seconds and the wind is a fresh cross-shore. That combo is just lumpy and poor. This setup actually looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Saturday brings a slight improvement. Morning sees a clean 4ft swell from the NW with a light cross-off wind, but the period is short at 7 seconds, making it a bit weak and inconsistent. Still, it’s clean, so you could get a few.

Sunday is tiny. Swell drops to 1ft with a long period of 14 seconds from the SE. That’s weak energy (107) and even with offshore winds, it’s barely worth paddling out for.

Monday and Tuesday are flat. Swell down to 1.0ft or less. Glassy conditions but no push. Wednesday the 6th of August shows a tiny 2ft SE swell with a long 16-second period, but it’s glassy and clean. You’d be scratching for waves.

Thursday the 7th of August is small and clean, but again, the swell is weak and the 6-second period means the waves lack shape and power.

There’s then a gap of a few days with poor, onshore conditions until Sunday the 9th of August. That morning, the game changes. An 8ft NE swell is on the cards with a moderate offshore wind from the SSW. The energy jumps to 740, and it’s looking clean with very good surf. Sunday afternoon gets even better with a 7ft N swell, longer 9-second period, and offshore winds. The combined energy is strong at 1229, and conditions are excellent for experienced surfers.

Monday the 10th of August is a beast. We’re talking about an 18ft to 21ft NNE/NE swell with a long 12-second period and strong offshore winds. The energy is massive (9320 and 11833). However, this is way too big for this break. Only for absolute experts with the right equipment, and even then, it’s a serious challenge.

Tuesday the 11th through Thursday the 13th of August remains big, with swells between 12ft and 16ft and strong offshore or cross-off winds. The energy remains very high, but it’s still oversized for most. The long period also means waves will be powerful and might break a bit straight at the beach, so the point and reef sections could be your best bet.

To wrap it up: your best window is Wednesday morning (29th July) for clean, solid surf, and then keep an eye on Sunday the 9th of August for another great day of clean, strong swell. The big stuff from the 10th onwards is for the brave only.

Stay safe, Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Fri morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri morning, min 10°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed morning, strong winds from the NW by Thu night).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Some drizzle, heaviest during Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 13°C on Sat morning, min 6°C on Sun morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the S on Sat night, calm by Mon morning).

Wednesday
29
Thursday
30
Friday
31
Saturday
1
Sunday
2
Monday
3
Tuesday
4
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
4
3
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.9
ESE
13
1.8
ESE
12
1.7
ESE
12
1.4
ESE
12
1.3
ESE
11
1.2
ESE
11
3
NW
8
2.5
NW
7
0.6
ESE
11
1.3
NW
7
1.1
NW
7
0.6
SE
14
0.4
SE
14
0.4
SE
13
0.3
NE
15
0.3
NE
13
0.3
NE
13
0.1
NE
14
0.3
NE
12
0.2
NNE
12
0.2
NNE
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1126
967
789
541
408
331
1164
653
91
164
111
128
65
59
33
28
28
7
24
14
14
Wind (km/h)
5
SW
10
NNW
15
WNW
20
NW
25
NW
30
NW
30
WNW
30
WNW
30
W
15
W
20
SSE
30
S
25
SSW
20
S
10
SW
5
WSW
5
N
10
W
5
S
15
SSE
20
S
Wind State
off
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
off
High Tide
6:52PM1.98m
6:55AM1.93m
7:31PM2.01m
7:36AM1.95m
8:08PM2.03m
8:15AM1.95m
8:47PM2.04m
8:55AM1.94m
9:26PM2.03m
9:35AM1.93m
10:07PM2.02m
10:19AM1.93m
10:49PM2.00m
Low Tide
12:34PM0.58m
1:02AM0.66m
1:15PM0.53m
1:44AM0.60m
1:54PM0.47m
2:26AM0.53m
2:34PM0.43m
3:08AM0.47m
3:14PM0.41m
3:49AM0.42m
3:56PM0.42m
4:31AM0.40m
4:39PM0.46m
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
part cloud
cloud
light rain
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:09
7:07
7:07
7:05
7:05
7:03
7:03
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:15
5:16
5:17
5:19
5:20
5:20
5:21
 mm
1
6
7
1
Temp °C
12
13
11
14
14
14
15
14
12
13
10
7
8
10
8
11
12
10
12
11
9
Feels °C
11
10
7
8
8
8
9
8
6
11
5
0
2
4
4
9
9
7
10
7
5
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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