
Surf Forecasts:
Bay of Plenty surf forecast from 11 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 17 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, S swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 13s period, SSW swell with 4,841 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 11 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 13s period with S 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 Saturday (Jul 11) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. 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 4.0m 13s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 2AM. 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+) | 8PM (Sat 11th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Fri 17th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sat 18th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bay of Plenty over the next 16 days.
Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at the surf on offer. It's gonna be a bit of a mixed bag to start, but there's definitely some magic on the horizon if you're patient.
The pattern starts off quiet with some small, wobbly waves for the first few days. Conditions are pretty marginal with onshore breezes and some rain about. Not much to write home about, but keep an eye on Sunday afternoon (July 12). We get a tiny drop of glassy conditions with a knee-high 4ft swell from the south. The combined energy is weak (372), so it's a longboard or twinny kind of wave, but it'll be clean.
Monday (July 13) is a write-off with cross-onshore winds and messy, short period swell. Tuesday (July 14) turns it around though. The morning's glassy again, with a 4ft south swell (period 9 seconds). The combined energy is moderate (462) and it's clean with absolutely no wind. It'll be small but fun for a beginner-friendly option at Bay of Plenty.
The next standout is Thursday afternoon, July 16. This is a good one. The wind goes glassy, swell bumps up to 5ft from the east with a 10-second period. Combined energy sits at a nice moderate 535. That's a solid, clean wave for the beach/jetty setup if the tide lines up. Conditions look very good.
Now, Friday July 17 is going to get blown out with strong cross-shore winds and messy chop. Not worth paddling out.
Here's the real highlight, but you gotta be ready for it. Saturday morning, July 18. The swell jumps dramatically to 10ft from the SSW with a 13-second period. The combined energy is massive, 5090. The wind is moderate cross-shore. This is a proper groundswell, long period and heaps of energy, which usually means better shaped waves but longer waits between sets. For a beach/jetty break, that long period (over 11 seconds) can make it break a bit straight, so it's really for experienced surfers only. It's a wild, powerful day. For beginners, it's way too big.
That big energy carries into the weekend, but winds are unfriendly on Sunday (July 19) and Monday (July 20). Tuesday July 22 morning is another huge day: 10ft from the NE, 8-second period. Combined energy is 1509. Wind is light cross-shore, so it might be clean enough for experts, but that short period (under 8 seconds) means it's going to be a bit crumbly and less organized.
From there, it drops off into the last week. The last day worth a mention is Friday July 24 afternoon, with a 6ft east swell, but it's cross-onshore. The long-range stuff from July 25 and 26 is small and choppy, nothing to get excited about.
So, to boil it down: the best two are Thursday afternoon, July 16, for a clean, chest-high day that suits all levels, and the massive Saturday morning, July 18, if you're an expert after a real adrenalin hit. The long-range standouts come with a pinch of salt, more than a week out, but the signals are there.
Keep it salty,
Rusty
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Sat night. Warm (max 20°C on Mon afternoon, min 15°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Wed afternoon, min 16°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | E 8 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 7 | S 9 | SSW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
822 | 852 | 715 | 480 | 327 | 123 | 208 | 316 | 310 | 215 | 415 | 442 | 388 | 397 | 509 | 440 | 520 | 492 | 432 | 1601 | 4841 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | glassy | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | glassy | off | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:19PM1.52m | 1:44AM1.67m | 2:23PM1.66m | 2:41AM1.77m | 3:15PM1.80m | 3:30AM1.86m | 4:01PM1.92m | 4:14AM1.92m | 4:43PM1.98m | 4:55AM1.93m | 5:23PM2.00m | 5:34AM1.89m | 6:01PM1.96m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:27PM0.59m | 8:08AM0.46m | 8:29PM0.48m | 8:59AM0.33m | 9:22PM0.37m | 9:45AM0.22m | 10:08PM0.29m | 10:27AM0.16m | 10:51PM0.26m | 11:06AM0.15m | 11:31PM0.27m | 11:44AM0.18m | 00:10AM0.32m | ||||||||
6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | |
— | 5:10 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:14 | — | |
mm | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 |
Feels °C | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 11 | 8 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | SSE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | S 14 |
822 | 852 | 715 | 480 | 327 | 91 | 208 | 316 | 310 | 195 | 415 | 442 | 388 | 397 | 509 | 440 | 520 | 492 | 230 | 158 | 2877 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 5 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SE 9 | E 9 | SSW 10 | S 9 | SSW 9 | SSE 10 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSW 15 | NE 6 | — | E 10 |
14 | 23 | 21 | 48 | 29 | 45 | 157 | 151 | 104 | 215 | 37 | 19 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 8 | 45 | 9 | — | 120 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ENE 6 | E 9 | E 9 | S 11 | S 14 | S 14 | — | S 10 | SSW 10 | SSE 9 | S 16 | SSE 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | S 8 | SSE 8 | — | — | — |
— | — | 14 | 14 | 16 | 123 | 62 | 33 | — | 52 | 33 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 7 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 3 | NE 6 | SSW 7 | S 9 | SSW 13 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 104 | 432 | 1601 | 4841 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 665 | 685 | 1 |
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.










