
Surf Forecasts:
Te Araroa surf forecast from 11 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 18 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 7s period, N swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 6s period, NNW swell with 398 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 12 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 13s period with NE 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 (Sep 12) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. 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 2.2m 6s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Sat 12th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Thu 17th Sep) | 7ft (2.2m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Te Araroa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get into what’s on the table for Te Araroa over the next couple of weeks.
Look, the truth is, we’ve got a pretty quiet run ahead. If you’re itching for a paddle, the very start of the period is really the only time where it’s worth even talking about, but even then, it’s not a full-blown classic. The first few days are all about small, clean, but extremely weak swell.
We kick off on Friday afternoon, September 11th. It’s glassy, with a tiny 2ft NE swell. The energy is weak, just 57 (combined swell energy), so you won’t find any power. But with the wind dead calm and glass conditions, a longboard could be fun if you just want to get wet. The water is sitting at 58°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year – nothing unusual there.
Saturday the 12th starts off promising. Early morning we’ve got a clean 1ft swell from the NE with a lovely light offshore breeze from the South. The period stretches out to 13 seconds, which is nice and long, but the energy is still low at 88. It will be a clean, lined-up little wave at the point, but don’t expect much push – perfect for a beginner or a log, but not a standout. That offshore wind won’t last; by the afternoon the breeze swings and gets stronger, killing the quality.
From there, it’s a dry spell. We go through all of the next week from Sunday the 13th right up to Wednesday the 16th with almost nothing rideable. Winds are messy, swell drops to almost nothing – mostly 1ft and under. It’s a real lull.
We get a bit of a pulse on the 17th (Thursday), but don’t get your hopes up. The swell jumps to 5ft on the morning and 7ft by the afternoon, both from the NNW. The problem? That is a short-period, wind-driven swell at just 6 seconds, and the wind is a strong onshore breeze from the NW. The energy climbs quickly – 193 in the morning and a meaty 432 in the afternoon – but with that wind, it’s gonna be a choppy, blown-out mess. This is one for the kites, not for a paddle surfer. It’s going to be too bumpy for a good time.
The following Friday the 18th cleans up a bit. The swell drops to 5ft from the N, still short period (7 seconds), but the wind swings to a cross-offshore direction. It’s still a bit raw, but the afternoon session has some surfable waves. The energy is moderate at 172. It’s “ordinary”, not exciting.
Finally, Saturday the 19th is your best bet in this whole outlook. The morning is looking good. Clean 4ft swell from the NNE with a clean cross-offshore breeze. The period ticks up to 8 seconds, and the energy is a solid 395 (moderate-strong). This is the only window that has "expect good surf conditions" in the data, and I’d agree. It’s not huge, but it’s clean, it’s got some punch, and on a point break like Te Araroa, it should shape up nicely.
After that morning, the wind picks up again and the quality drops away. The rest of the second week is a washout – tiny swell, onshore winds, or just flat. By the time we hit the 26th of September, the swell is completely gone.
Honestly, if you can get in the water on the morning of the 19th, that’s the time. Everything else is a gamble or a skunked session.
Stay tuned, Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun morning, min 9°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Wed morning, min 10°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | ||||||||||||||
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) | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | E 9 | ENE 3 | ENE 13 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | WNW 5 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
38 | 39 | 61 | 61 | 60 | 41 | 39 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 6 | 1 | 17 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 110 | 151 | 398 | 226 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 6:41PM2.15m | 7:07AM2.04m | 7:28PM2.12m | 7:56AM2.07m | 8:15PM2.08m | 8:41AM2.07m | 9:01PM2.04m | 9:26AM2.05m | 9:46PM2.01m | 10:10AM2.01m | 10:28PM1.97m | 10:55AM1.96m | 11:09PM1.92m | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:06AM0.39m | 1:20PM0.39m | 1:55AM0.34m | 2:11PM0.38m | 2:41AM0.32m | 2:58PM0.40m | 3:24AM0.34m | 3:42PM0.43m | 4:07AM0.38m | 4:24PM0.49m | 4:48AM0.44m | 5:07PM0.57m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | |
5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 13 |
Feels °C | 13 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 9 | NE 9 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | SE 6 | SSE 11 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 9 | NE 12 | NE 11 | SE 10 | NNW 6 |
38 | 39 | 161 | 82 | 38 | 140 | 82 | 24 | 163 | 84 | 65 | 46 | 37 | 24 | 16 | 15 | 22 | 20 | 14 | 226 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 4 | SE 7 | ENE 8 | NE 13 | WNW 5 | NE 13 | SSE 11 | NE 12 | WNW 5 | NW 4 | NW 4 | WNW 5 | NNE 4 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | SSE 8 | SE 10 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 |
7 | 7 | 27 | 61 | 15 | 41 | 135 | 23 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 6 | 15 | 12 | 12 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 7 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 8 | NE 13 | SSE 16 | NE 12 | ENE 9 | NE 12 | NE 12 | E 9 | ENE 3 | ENE 13 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 14 | SE 14 | SE 11 |
19 | 27 | 61 | 17 | 60 | 51 | 39 | 8 | 23 | 21 | 6 | 1 | 17 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 4 | WNW 5 | S 4 | SSE 6 | — | WNW 6 | S 12 | SSE 7 | — | — | NE 3 | — | NW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | — |
13 | 82 | 17 | 55 | — | 150 | 635 | 81 | — | — | 4 | — | 4 | 12 | 117 | 143 | 110 | 151 | 398 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 18 | 0 | 6 | 18 | 9 | 171 | 6 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 6 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 75 | 75 | 56 |
Best forecast wave conditions in East Cape | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.










