Te Araroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Te Araroa over the next couple of weeks.

First off, it's a pretty slow start. The water temp is sitting right around average for this time of year at 59°F, so nothing unusual there. The first few days are a bit of a write-off. We've got a tiny bit of swell on Tuesday afternoon, but it's coming from the north with a short period, and while the wind is light cross-off, it’s just not enough to get excited about. Wednesday and Thursday are pretty ordinary with cross-shore and cross-on winds messing up the weak, short-period swell. Friday actually sees some height, with waves hitting 7ft, but the wind is a strong cross-onshore, making it a choppy, messy affair. That’s not really surfable for anyone.

Then we get a bit of a break. Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th offer some cleaner conditions with cross-off winds on Saturday and offshore winds on Sunday, but the swell is inconsistent and small, around 4ft to 5ft. It’s rideable, but nothing to write home about. Then Monday the 17th drops off completely with no swell at all. This is a bit of a flat spell, but it doesn't look like it'll last.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Mark your calendars for Tuesday the 18th of August. That’s the standout. We’ve got a proper SE groundswell rolling in, hitting 10ft with a long period of 12 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 2244, which is very strong. The wind is a light cross-off in the morning, cleaning it up nicely. This is big, powerful stuff. For the experienced surfers at Te Araroa, this is going to be excellent. The north-east facing break is perfect for this swell direction. Just be aware, with a 10ft swell, this is not for beginners; it’s expert territory. The afternoon stays clean with a moderate offshore, still holding at 8ft.

After that peak, it drops off again. Wednesday and Thursday are flat. But then Friday the 21st of August brings back some clean, fun-sized waves. The morning has a 4ft SE swell with a light offshore wind, and the afternoon gets even better – glassy conditions with a 4ft SE swell. The combined energy is moderate (251-302), but the clean conditions will make for a lovely session.

The following week is a bit of a mixed bag. The swell is small, with the occasional pulse, but the periods are long, which can mean the waves are a bit too straight for the beach break. The water will be glassy on the morning of Tuesday the 25th, but with only 1ft of swell, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a wave. The rest of the week is small and clean, but frankly, it’s a bit of a frustrating wait for any real energy.

So, to wrap it up: the absolute best on offer is Tuesday the 18th of August. The combination of a strong, long-period groundswell and clean offshore winds is a proper treat. The next best bet is the clean, glassy surf on Friday the 21st. Everything else is just small or messy.

Rusty.

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