Surf Forecasts:
Te Araroa surf forecast from 1 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 7 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 9s period, NW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 9s period, NW swell with 2,433 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 6s period with WNW 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 05) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Te Araroa in the next 16 days are 4.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.5m 11s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 13ft (4.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 13ft (4.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Te Araroa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Te Araroa.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a long, slow start. The first week is pretty much a write-off for any decent paddle. There’s a bit of tiny swell around the 1st and 2nd, but it’s barely a ripple with combined energy in the low teens (33). You’re looking at a gap of nearly a week with nothing worth mentioning. The water temp is sitting at 59°, which is about average for this time of year, so the wetsuit is a given.
Things get a bit interesting, but not in a good way, on Friday the 4th. We see a jump to a 6ft swell from the WNW, but the period is a short, choppy 6 seconds, and the wind is a messy cross-shore at 19 mph. The combined energy gets up to a moderate 189, but it’s just lumpy and poor. That same day, a 5ft glassy moment on Saturday afternoon is a bit of a tease, but with a 6-second period, it’s weak and messy.
Sunday the 6th gets proper ugly with a 7ft onshore mess and energy at 308, and then Monday the 7th is a washout. The swell hits a massive 13ft from the NW with energy over 2400, but it’s way too big for this spot. That’s expert-only territory, and even then, the wind is a fresh cross-shore. It’s not worth it.
The real window opens up on Tuesday the 8th. The morning shows a 4ft NW swell with a 9-second period, and clean offshore winds from the SSW. The combined energy is a solid 218. This is where you want to be. It’s not huge, but it’s clean and rideable. The wind is a gentle offshore, so expect some lined-up waves.
The standout of the whole forecast, no question, is Friday the 11th. We get a beautiful 7ft to 8ft SE groundswell with a lovely 12-second period. The combined energy is a powerful 1150 in the morning, building to 1574 by the afternoon. Winds are glassy – dead calm. This is a dream. The swell is solid, demanding respect for experienced surfers, but the conditions are absolutely pristine. The only catch is that with a long-period swell like this, the sets will be well-spaced, but the quality will be world-class.
The following weekend, Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th, are still good. The swell drops to 6ft-7ft, and the energy is still strong (957 in the morning). The wind is light or glassy, so it’s still very clean, but the period drops off a bit, making it a little less punchy than that Friday.
The second week gets a bit more mixed. Monday the 14th has a 5ft swell but onshore winds, and the energy drops. By Tuesday the 15th, the wind picks up again, making it choppy and messy. The last highlight is Wednesday the 16th morning, with a 4ft ESE swell and glassy conditions. It’s a nice, clean end to the forecast, but the 16th afternoon turns onshore again.
So, to sum it up: the first week is a dud. The real magic is Friday the 11th of September. That’s the day to circle. The morning glass-off on the 8th and the clean weekend on the 12th/13th are solid runners-up, but the 11th is the one that’s got the juice.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Wed afternoon, min 8°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue night, fresh winds from the NW by Fri morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Sun night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun afternoon, min 9°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Sat afternoon, strong winds from the NW by Sun night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | ||||||||||||||
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 10 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | ENE 10 | NW 7 | ENE 10 | WNW 6 | NW 5 | NW 5 | NNW 6 | NW 8 | NW 9 | NW 10 | NW 9 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
33 | 29 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 84 | 176 | 10 | 373 | 11 | 156 | 65 | 83 | 299 | 1960 | 2409 | 2216 | 805 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | off | off |
High Tide | 9:39PM2.00m | 9:57AM2.00m | 10:26PM1.98m | 10:46AM1.99m | 11:14PM1.98m | 11:39AM1.98m | 00:05AM1.98m | 12:38PM1.96m | 00:59AM1.97m | 1:41PM1.96m | 1:59AM1.96m | 2:50PM1.99m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:34PM0.40m | 4:03AM0.32m | 4:20PM0.43m | 4:47AM0.34m | 5:09PM0.47m | 5:36AM0.39m | 6:02PM0.53m | 6:28AM0.44m | 7:01PM0.58m | 7:25AM0.48m | 8:05PM0.61m | 8:28AM0.49m | 9:11PM0.62m | |||||||
— | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | |
5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 10 | 4 | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 10 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 11 |
Feels °C | 9 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 7 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | ENE 10 | NW 7 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | E 9 | NW 10 | NW 9 |
203 | 269 | 222 | 161 | 79 | 111 | 77 | 47 | 23 | 22 | 10 | 211 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 2216 | 805 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 11 | NE 9 | SSE 18 | SSE 18 | SSE 17 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | SSE 10 | ENE 10 | S 9 | S 8 | SSE 10 | S 9 | ENE 9 | NE 9 | S 16 | NE 16 |
226 | 29 | 62 | 127 | 115 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 10 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 10 | SSE 17 | NE 9 | NE 9 | ENE 9 | N 11 | N 11 | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | S 17 | SSE 10 | N 10 | SE 11 | — | S 19 | S 19 | — | — | — |
33 | 54 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 4 | — | 7 | 7 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WNW 7 | W 7 | WNW 7 | W 7 | W 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | NW 7 | — | WNW 6 | NW 5 | NW 5 | NNW 6 | NW 8 | NW 9 | — | SSE 9 |
— | 206 | 206 | 398 | 377 | 146 | 173 | 84 | 176 | 309 | 373 | — | 156 | 65 | 83 | 299 | 1960 | 2409 | — | 300 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 6 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 91 | 115 | 115 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 168 | 222 | 56 | 56 | 0 |
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.











