
Surf Forecasts:
Te Araroa surf forecast from 3 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 9 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 8s period, NW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 7s period, NW swell with 698 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 6 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 16s period with SE 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 Thursday (Aug 06) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 16s period. 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 2.5m 7s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.5m 12s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Thu 6th Aug) | 1ft (0.3m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Te Araroa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve had a good look at the charts for Te Araroa. Let me tell you what’s cooking.
Honestly, the first week is a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a long stretch of tiny, weak swell and poor conditions. The water is sitting at 60°, which is about average for this time of year – nothing to write home about. From August 3rd right through the 6th, we’re looking at waves that are barely a ripple, with a few small 1.0ft pulses from the NE but with hardly any energy behind them. The wind is mostly offshore or cross-offshore, so the ocean is clean, but there’s just nothing to ride. It’s a frustrating wait.
Friday, August 7th is the first real spark. The morning brings a 4ft SE swell, and the wave energy starts to show some life (350). The wind is light and cross-off from the W, so it should be clean. This is the first morning you’d actually want to paddle out. The swell period is a short 10 seconds, so it’s not groundswell, but it’s a start.
We get a bit of a pulse on Saturday, August 8th, but the wind swings WNW and gets cross and a bit stronger. The swell builds to 7ft by the afternoon, but the period drops to a pathetic 5-6 seconds. That’s a lot of chop and not much shape. The energy is moderate (348), but it’s going to be messy.
The standout in the first week is Sunday, August 9th. Get this – glassy conditions. The wind is near zero from the WSW, swinging to WNW. The swell is 6ft in the morning and 5ft in the afternoon, coming from the NW with a short period of 7-8 seconds. The energy is solid (352). This is your best bet for the first week. It’s clean, it’s fun, and it’s not too big. Not for beginners though, as it’s over 5ft.
After that, we hit another flat spell from the 10th to the 11th, with tiny 2ft-3ft swell and very low energy.
Then things get gnarly. From Wednesday, August 12th, a big NW swell starts to build, but it’s accompanied by rain and strong onshore winds from the NE. The swell hits 8ft with energy at 688, but the wind is howling onshore. This is a mess. This pattern continues through the 14th, with the wind getting up to 25 mph and heavy rain. This is kite surfing territory, not paddle surfing.
Saturday, August 15th is where it gets interesting again. The swell drops a bit to 7ft, but the wind goes light and variable, turning glassy in the afternoon. The energy is strong (599). This is a proper session, but it’s sizeable. For experienced surfers only.
The big one is Sunday, August 16th. The swell is predicted to be 12ft in the morning, building to 13ft from the NNE with a long period of 9 seconds. The energy is massive (1775 and 2541). The wind is light offshore in the morning. However, this is too big for Te Araroa. It’s estimated to be too big for the break. This is for experts only, and even then, it’s a big call. The swell direction is NNE, and the optimum for this spot is NE, so it’s a bit off. This is promising but less certain this far out.
The swell holds through the 17th and 18th, with 10ft waves, but the wind goes cross-shore, making it less clean. By Tuesday the 18th, the swell drops to 5ft-6ft from the ENE, with a long period (10 seconds) and light cross-offshore winds. That’s a good, solid, late window.
So, the best on offer? Sunday, August 9th for the glassy, clean conditions and fun size. And for the bold, keep an eye on Saturday, August 15th for the glassy afternoon and solid swell. The big stuff on the 16th is a monster, but it’s for the brave.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Mon afternoon, min 5°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 14°C on Sat morning, min 7°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 4 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NNE 12 | E 19 | N 14 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 15 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 12 | SE 11 | WNW 5 | NW 6 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 7 | NW 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
32 | 28 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 42 | 38 | 34 | 363 | 286 | 178 | 255 | 87 | 341 | 617 | 345 | 217 | 106 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | glassy | glassy | glassy |
High Tide | 9:35AM1.93m | 10:07PM2.02m | 10:19AM1.93m | 10:49PM2.00m | 11:06AM1.93m | 11:34PM1.98m | 11:58AM1.95m | 00:22AM1.98m | 12:53PM1.96m | 1:16AM1.99m | 1:53PM1.98m | 2:15AM2.00m | 3:01PM2.01m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:56PM0.42m | 4:31AM0.40m | 4:39PM0.46m | 5:14AM0.39m | 5:26PM0.52m | 5:59AM0.41m | 6:18PM0.57m | 6:49AM0.46m | 7:16PM0.62m | 7:44AM0.50m | 8:20PM0.64m | 8:46AM0.53m | 9:25PM0.65m | ||||||||
7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | |
— | 5:20 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 11 |
Feels °C | 7 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 2 | -1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | W 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | NE 12 | NE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 11 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | NW 8 | NW 7 | NW 7 |
186 | 128 | 95 | 152 | 53 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 729 | 448 | 466 | 363 | 286 | 164 | 255 | 176 | 184 | 115 | 345 | 217 | 106 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | SSE 11 | NE 12 | NNE 12 | E 19 | W 5 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 15 | SE 14 | SE 14 | SE 12 | SSE 17 | SE 9 | SSE 16 | NE 13 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 |
28 | 28 | 25 | 66 | 23 | 14 | 7 | 1 | 42 | 38 | 34 | 64 | 64 | 178 | 227 | 70 | 26 | 7 | 105 | 92 | 86 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | NE 7 | S 21 | NE 12 | E 16 | E 16 | E 15 | N 14 | NE 11 | NE 11 | N 14 | NE 16 | SSE 20 | SSE 18 | NNW 13 | NNW 13 | NE 13 | SE 16 | NE 13 | SSE 11 | S 8 |
2 | 2 | 9 | 23 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 10 | 38 | 126 | 17 | 16 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 25 | 45 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 4 | W 6 | W 6 | — | SSE 8 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | — | S 10 | S 11 | — | W 3 | WNW 4 | W 4 | WNW 5 | NW 6 | NW 8 | SSW 4 | — | — |
32 | 160 | 161 | — | 507 | 798 | 1410 | 1150 | — | 1496 | 750 | — | 2 | 30 | 41 | 87 | 341 | 617 | 5 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 18 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 47 | 6 | 227 | 310 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 9 | 18 | 18 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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.











