
Surf Forecasts:
Bay of Plenty surf forecast from 7 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 10 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, S swell with 1,997 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 7 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 9s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Bay of Plenty this week:
The surf forecast for Bay of Plenty over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 07) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 1.0m and 6s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Bay of Plenty in the next 16 days are 3.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Fri 7th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Mon 10th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Mon 10th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bay of Plenty over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here, looking at the Bay of Plenty for the next couple of weeks. Honestly, it’s a pretty grim outlook for a paddle. There’s no real surf to get excited about at the start, and the whole 16-day window is a struggle. We’ve got a solid stretch of poor conditions right through the first week, and while the second week shows a bit more size, the wind is just never on our side.
The first real pulse of energy that’s worth a mention arrives on the morning of Saturday the 15th of August. Overnight, a solid 8ft easterly groundswell (combined energy 1712) with a very long period of 12 seconds rolls in. That’s a lot of water moving, and for a beginner-friendly beach/jetty setup like the Bay of Plenty, that’s serious, expert-only territory. The size alone is a handful, and that long-period groundswell can make things pretty straight and fat on a beach break. It’s a real shame that the wind is a light cross-onshore breeze, which will keep the surface bumpy. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
That swell hangs around into the afternoon, still a solid 8ft from the east at 11 seconds (combined energy 1401), but the wind picks up to a gentle cross-onshore, making it even choppier. It’s powerful, but it’s not clean. There’s a smaller, more manageable pulse of 5ft from the east (combined energy 598) on the morning of Friday the 14th, but it’s still a light cross-onshore, so you’re fighting the wind the whole time. The crowd factor is 'sometimes' at this spot, so you might have company, but the quality isn’t there to justify it.
Before that, the whole first week from the 7th to the 14th is a write-off for a decent paddle. The mid-week around the 10th and 11th sees some big, messy swell up to 8ft, but it’s hammered by a strong cross-shore wind, making it a total washing machine. That kind of power and wind is more interesting for a kite surfer than a surfer. The wave comment is consistently "poor surf conditions" or "marginal," and I’m not going to sugarcoat it.
The tail end of the outlook on the 22nd of August shows another burst of energy, a 7ft southerly groundswell with a very long period of 13 seconds (combined energy 1438), but again, it’s a moderate cross-shore wind. It’s a promising swell from the optimum direction, but the onshore wind kills it. For a spot that’s only fairly consistent, this is a pretty normal blank run for the area. Forecasts can change, but right now, there’s nothing to get excited about for a proper surf. Hang in there.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sat afternoon, min 17°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri night, fresh winds from the SSW by Sun afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 34mm), heaviest during Sun night. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun night, min 13°C on Tue morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SW on Sun night, light winds from the S by Wed afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 6 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 10 | E 10 | SSW 9 | S 9 | S 8 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
97 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 87 | 104 | 203 | 150 | 94 | 1155 | 1121 | 1045 | 1585 | 651 | 703 | 617 | 430 | 471 | 586 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:52PM1.51m | 9:31AM1.34m | 10:33PM1.41m | 11:49AM1.33m | 00:34AM1.45m | 1:29PM1.48m | 1:51AM1.59m | 2:27PM1.68m | 2:43AM1.75m | 3:12PM1.86m | 3:25AM1.88m | 3:50PM2.00m | 4:03AM1.96m | ||||||
Low Tide | 3:21AM0.77m | 3:49PM0.80m | 5:21AM0.80m | 6:06PM0.81m | 7:07AM0.68m | 7:39PM0.67m | 8:10AM0.50m | 8:36PM0.50m | 8:56AM0.33m | 9:21PM0.35m | 9:36AM0.20m | 9:59PM0.24m | |||||||
— | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | |
5:25 | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2 | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 23 | 25 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 16 |
Feels °C | 18 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | ENE 7 | ENE 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | SSE 10 | E 10 | SSW 14 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 |
42 | 83 | 83 | 83 | 87 | 92 | 203 | 150 | 90 | 41 | 45 | 43 | 1187 | 66 | 273 | 617 | 430 | 471 | 586 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | S 6 | S 5 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 15 | E 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | — | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | E 9 | S 14 | E 9 | SSW 11 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 11 |
85 | 22 | 13 | 49 | 25 | 93 | 68 | 39 | 93 | — | 24 | 21 | 60 | 107 | 61 | 198 | 169 | 164 | 47 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SE 5 | SSW 17 | SSW 11 | SSW 14 | S 18 | NE 6 | — | — | — | — | SSW 11 | — | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 11 | S 11 |
49 | 71 | 67 | 5 | 57 | 24 | 78 | 25 | 18 | — | — | — | — | 24 | — | 87 | 89 | 100 | 37 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | — | — | ENE 5 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | — | S 6 | S 5 | SSW 9 | S 9 | S 8 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | — | — | — | — |
97 | — | — | 2 | 17 | 104 | — | 50 | 94 | 1155 | 1121 | 1045 | 1585 | 651 | 703 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 1 | 155 | 0 | 5 | 219 | 0 | 154 | 2611 | 863 | 330 | 286 | 286 | 330 | 907 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Bay of Plenty Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Bay of Plenty provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Bay of Plenty can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Bay of Plenty 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 (Bay of Plenty) 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 Bay of Plenty 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 Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast? If you are looking for accommodation near Bay of Plenty, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, consider staying in Durban which is 6 km (4 miles) away. Other places in and around Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Glenwood which is 6 km (4 miles) away, Kwamashu, Umhlanga and Mount Edgecombe.











