Te Araroa Surf Break

Lat Long: 37.63° S 178.38° E

Te Araroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 pm 04 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Te Araroa sea temperature is
14.5°C
0.1° 

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 4 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 8 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 9s period, NW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, NW swell with 1,852 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 9s 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 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Te Araroa in the next 16 days are 3.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 8s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 12) at 3AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6PM (Tue 8th Sep)8ft (2.5m) 9s
Best Surf 6PM (Tue 8th Sep)8ft (2.5m) 9s
Most Powerful12PM (Tue 8th Sep)10ft (3.0m) 10s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this 16-day window for Te Araroa is a tough one. There’s a long stretch of nothing happening, then a few days where the ocean might get your hopes up only to dash them with messy wind, and a couple of promising-looking pulses that are a long way off.

We’re looking at a real quiet start. From the 5th through to the 7th, it’s tiny little 0.7 ft ENE windswell with periods around 10 seconds, and the wind is mostly cross or cross-off. The combined energy is barely a whisper at 13 (weak). It’s small and mostly poor for paddling out. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing weird there.

Then on Monday the 7th, the swell jumps up to 7 ft from the NW but with a short, weak 7-second period and a howling 18-22 mph cross-onshore wind. The energy reading hits 403 (moderate), but the wind is just going to chop it to pieces. It’s a write-off.

Now, Tuesday the 8th is where it gets interesting, but it comes with a big caveat. We’ve got a solid 10 ft swell from the NNW/NW, with the period improving to 9-10 seconds. The combined energy is massive – 1528 to 1788 (strong to very strong wave energy). That’s a lot of power. But the wind is cross-shore from the WNW at 12 mph, putting a chop on it. The guidance calls it “marginal” due to tide or conditions. For a spot like Te Araroa, a beach and point, that 10 ft NW swell is big. At over 8 ft, this is for experts only. Beginners – stay out of the water. The cross-shore wind will make it lumpy, but if the tide lines up, the point might offer some heavy, fast waves. This is your one true standout in the first week, but it’s not for the faint of heart.

After that, the energy drops off fast. The 9th cleans up with a nice SE cross-off wind, but the swell crashes to 4 ft, then 3 ft, and the energy is back down to 242 (moderate), then 129 (weak). It’s surfable but very ordinary.

Then we hit a dead zone. From the 10th of September all the way through to the 17th, the swell is mostly below 2 ft with periods all over the place, and the combined energy barely scrapes 50 (weak). There are a few moments on the 11th, 12th, and 13th with clean offshore or cross-off wind and tiny 1-2 ft NE groundswell with a nice long 13-14 second period, but the energy is just too low (39-74). You’d be fighting for a 1-foot wave. It’s a gap of about 8 days with no real recommendation.

Looking way out to the 17th (Thursday), we see a pulse of 5 ft NW swell with an 8-second period, and the energy is 329 (moderate). The wind is cross-off from the SSE, which could clean it up. That’s a maybe for the end of the second week, but it’s a long-range call and eight seconds is a short, weak period. It’s a promise in the distance.

Honestly, if you’re a kite surfer, that Tuesday the 8th with 10 ft and cross-shore wind might be your jam, but for paddle surfing, it’s a tough period. The standout is that Tuesday the 8th, but it’s a big, challenging day for experts only.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon afternoon, min 9°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Sat afternoon, fresh winds from the NW by Mon afternoon).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue morning, min 10°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NNW on Mon night, calm by Tue night).

Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
3
1
0
1
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)
0.2
ENE
10
0.2
ENE
10
0.2
ENE
10
0.2
ENE
10
0.2
ENE
10
1.3
WNW
5
1.6
NW
6
2.1
NW
7
2.1
NW
7
2.2
NNW
8
3
NNW
9
3
NW
10
1.9
NW
8
1.1
NW
8
0.8
NW
7
0.7
NE
7
0.5
NE
8
0.6
NE
7
0.4
ENE
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
10
11
10
9
9
88
184
398
391
666
1513
1764
481
161
65
49
35
34
35
Wind (km/h)
20
W
15
W
10
WNW
25
W
20
WNW
25
WNW
30
NW
30
NW
35
NW
25
NW
20
WNW
20
WNW
10
SE
15
SE
15
SE
5
SW
20
WNW
25
WNW
25
W
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross
cross
cross-off
High Tide
00:05AM1.98m
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
Low Tide
6:28AM0.44m
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
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
part cloud
cloud
rain showers
mod rain
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:22
6:20
6:18
6:18
6:16
6:15
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:47
5:49
5:50
5:50
5:51
5:52
 mm
1
3
6
1
Temp °C
16
15
15
12
15
15
15
16
17
14
16
16
11
12
12
11
15
15
13
Feels °C
12
12
12
8
9
10
10
11
12
9
11
12
10
8
8
9
9
9
8
  • Map Icons:
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  • 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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