
Surf Forecasts:
Te Araroa surf forecast from 13 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 17 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 16s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 15s period, SE swell with 1,511 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 17 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 16s period with ESE 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 Friday (Jul 17) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Te Araroa in the next 16 days are 1.8m 15s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.4m 8s period and expected on Friday (Jul 17) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Fri 17th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Fri 17th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Sat 18th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Te Araroa over the next 16 days.
G’day, Rusty here, lookin’ at the run ahead at Te Araroa.
Straight up, the next week or so is a bit of a mixed bag, but there’s some serious potential if you’re patient and know what you’re doing. We’re starting off with a slow patch. Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th are pretty ordinary – small, messy, and not worth paddling out for. The water temp is sitting at 61°, which is about a degree and a half warmer than usual for this time of year, so it’s a bit of a nice surprise on that front, but the surf just isn’t there.
Wednesday the 15th looks a bit cleaner but still small and weak, with a combined swell energy of only 195. Not enough to get excited about.
Now, the first real standout hits on Thursday the 16th. Early morning you might see a small 2 ft ESE groundswell, but the afternoon is where it gets interesting – a powerful 3 ft ESE swell, but with a very long period of 18 seconds. That’s pushing some serious energy, with the combined swell energy hitting 516. The wind is light and clean out of the west, so it’ll be tidy. However, that long period groundswell can make beach breaks a bit wonky – tends to break too straight – but at a point break setup like Te Araroa, it’ll be wrapping in nicely. For the experienced crew, this is a promising window.
The big one, the real highlight, is Friday the 17th. We’re looking at a 5 ft ESE swell, long 15-second period, and a combined energy that’s pumping at 1207. The wind is almost nothing at 5 km/h out of the WSW, making it cross-off and glassy clean. This is the call for experienced surfers – it’s definitely too big for beginners at over 5 ft, but if you’ve got the skills, this is peak Te Araroa. The morning is where it’s at, with excellent conditions listed.
Saturday the 18th is still solid, with a 5 ft to 5 ft SE swell, 14-second period, and clean cross-off winds. Energy is still high around 1031 in the morning and 890 in the afternoon. It’s not quite the standout Friday is, but it’s still very good.
Sunday the 19th drops off to a cleaner 3 ft swell, and the afternoon goes glassy with light WSW winds. Good for a relaxed session if you’re hanging around.
From Monday the 20th onwards, it gets bleak. There’s a long stretch of small, weak swell with energy readings barely hitting 200, and winds pick up strong from the southeast, bringing rain and choppy conditions. A few days in the middle of the week, like Wednesday the 22nd, have strong offshore winds but only tiny 2 ft surf – hard work for not much reward. This quiet spell runs all the way through to the end of the 16-day window, with only a brief, very ordinary bump on Tuesday the 28th from a short-period NNW windswell. Nothing worth chasing in that second week.
So, if you’re keen, lock in Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th. Friday morning especially – that’s the one you’ll remember.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Wed afternoon, min 11°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu morning, min 10°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri night, fresh winds from the S by Sat night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | NNW 5 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 6 | WNW 5 | ESE 15 | ESE 16 | ESE 16 | ESE 16 | ESE 16 | SE 15 | SE 14 | SE 14 | ESE 14 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
148 | 101 | 64 | 67 | 127 | 228 | 136 | 110 | 37 | 167 | 302 | 818 | 1225 | 1479 | 1511 | 1031 | 811 | 607 | 501 | 581 | 520 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 5:35PM2.22m | 5:48AM2.18m | 6:34PM2.33m | 6:46AM2.21m | 7:26PM2.39m | 7:41AM2.21m | 8:16PM2.40m | 8:34AM2.20m | 9:06PM2.36m | 9:25AM2.17m | 9:57PM2.28m | 10:17AM2.12m | 10:47PM2.19m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:15AM0.49m | 11:49PM0.62m | 12:12PM0.42m | 00:48AM0.58m | 1:06PM0.36m | 1:46AM0.54m | 1:58PM0.34m | 2:40AM0.49m | 2:50PM0.35m | 3:31AM0.45m | 3:42PM0.39m | 4:22AM0.43m | 4:33PM0.45m | ||||||||
7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | |
— | 5:05 | — | — | 5:05 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:08 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 9 |
Feels °C | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 10 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 13 | ESE 15 | ESE 16 | ESE 16 | ESE 16 | ESE 16 | SE 15 | SE 14 | SE 14 | ESE 14 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 |
148 | 101 | 64 | 46 | 26 | 58 | 39 | 36 | 33 | 167 | 302 | 818 | 1225 | 1479 | 1511 | 1031 | 811 | 607 | 501 | 581 | 520 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 11 | S 8 | S 9 | S 8 | ESE 10 | NE 11 | NE 11 | NE 11 | ESE 10 | NE 10 | NE 9 | NE 10 | NW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 22 | SSE 17 |
11 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 101 | 17 | 119 | 96 | 66 | 29 | 45 | 28 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 12 | S 11 | NE 11 | NE 12 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 9 | NE 10 | S 8 | NE 11 | — | — | — | — | — | S 19 | S 24 | SSE 23 | S 21 | S 21 |
5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 11 | 51 | 134 | 9 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NW 2 | NNW 4 | NNW 5 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 6 | WNW 5 | NW 5 | NW 5 | WNW 5 | W 6 | SSE 8 | SSE 11 | S 10 | — | — | — | — | SSW 7 |
— | 1 | 12 | 67 | 127 | 228 | 136 | 110 | 37 | 38 | 43 | 87 | 297 | 50 | 353 | 676 | — | — | — | — | 18 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 6 | 9 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 56 | 18 | 6 | 18 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 39 | 39 | 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.










