Te Araroa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, you know it’s still a bit up and down here in the Te Araroa region but at least there’s some action coming. Good news: it might go quiet again for a few days, so let me guide you through the windows.

Looks like the first real call for a paddle is on Thursday 20th August. There's a sniff of a clean little run building. The morning starts with clean waves around 5ft pushing in from the southeast with a 9 second interval and the combined energy is sitting at 384 (moderate). The wind is light and offshore from the SSW – a nice little treat for the points and beach setup. Afternoon glass-off with no wind isn’t too shabby either. This is a solid chance for beginners to get out, but conditions will be tidy enough for anyone to enjoy. The water temperature is hanging around 60°F, basically normal for the time of year.

Friday 21st August keeps it clean and rideable, especially in the morning with a glassy 3ft southeasterly swell (218 energy – moderate). The afternoon stiffens a bit with a cross-off from the WNW, but it’s still okay for a surf.

Then things start to get a bit messy. Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd have gusty cross-shore winds and a short, weak swell – basically not worth suiting up. That kicks off a run of poor surf stretching through until the end of the month. Waves drop right off or come in with the wrong wind, and the energy is very low. It’s a frustrating gap if you’re keen.

Now, look ahead – the true standout here is way out past the horizon: Tuesday 1st September – but it’s a tricky one, so listen up. In the morning we’ve got a massive 15ft swell from the NNW at 10 seconds, with an enormous energy rating of 3472 (very strong). Problem is, this is expert-only territory – way too big for beginners or intermediates at this exposed break. It’s also cross-onshore with a 9 mph wind. The afternoon eases a hair to 11ft, still big and ugly for most. This is a day for big-wave chargers who know the lineup, but for anyone else, the setup is looking more like a kite-surfing day than paddle surfing.

The following days drop back in size, but still carry lumpy cross-shore wind and messy conditions into that first week of September.

If you're a beginner or looking for family-friendly clean banks, keep your eyes firmly on that Thursday 20th to Friday 21st August window – it's the only clean, manageable run in this forecast. Everything else is wind-affected, too small, or too big to handle.

Stay keen, stay patient.

- Rusty

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