
Surf Forecasts:
Bay of Plenty surf forecast from 13 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 18 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 16s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 14s period, S swell with 1,630 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 13 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 8s 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 Monday (Jul 13) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 10s. 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 2.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 16) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Mon 13th Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sat 18th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bay of Plenty over the next 16 days.
G’day, Rusty here, lookin’ at the Bay of Plenty forecast. The next 16 days are a mixed bag. We’ve got a few windows of cleaner surf, but there’s a fair bit of onshore crud in between. Water temps are around 71° – pretty much spot on average for this time of year, no surprises there.
The first real standout is Thursday morning, 16 July. The Bay of Plenty is glassy, with a light easterly breeze and 2ft swell from the east at 10 seconds. The energy is moderate (556), and the clean conditions mean it’ll be a genuine option for a morning session. It’s a beach/jetty setup, fairly consistent, and being a beginner-friendly spot, it’s a good one for everyone. Keep in mind crowds can show up sometimes.
Then we get a bit of a rough patch. Thursday afternoon onwards through to Friday arvo is pretty messy with cross-shore and onshore winds building, and the swell drops. Not worth paddling out.
Now, hold onto your board – Saturday morning, 18 July, is the real prize. We’ve got a solid 2ft southerly groundswell with a very long period of 15 seconds. The energy is strong (1303), and it’s glassy. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers, but that long period means it’ll be a bit too straight for beach breaks – it’s a beach/jetty setup, so the waves might be a bit walled and quick. Still, for the confident crew, it’s the best on offer in the whole outlook. The wind is glassy, which is a huge plus. The afternoon ruins it though, with a strong onshore kick.
After that, Sunday 19 July and Monday 20 July offer marginal, average surf with cross-shore winds – not a standout, but a possible paddle if you’re desperate.
There’s a decent gap from Tuesday 21 July through to late in the week, with mostly poor conditions and small, jumbled swell. Not worth your time.
Then Wednesday morning, 22 July, brings a surprise. A 1.0ft south-southwest swell with a very long period of 16 seconds, and a light cross-offshore breeze from the northwest. The energy is moderate (770), and the conditions are clean. This is a sneaky good session for the more experienced surfer, as the long period will favour the point and reef setups rather than the beach. Crowds are sometimes an issue, but it’s a quiet morning option.
The rest of the outlook from Thursday 23 July onwards is a write-off – small, windy, and messy. The energy drops to weak levels, and the wind is all over the place. Not worth a second look.
So, for the best surf: get on Thursday 16 July morning for the clean, beginner-friendly waves, and if you’ve got the skills, Saturday 18 July morning is the big one. Wednesday 22 July morning is a sneaky backup for the experienced crew.
Stay safe, and I’ll see you in the water.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Tue afternoon, min 16°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Fri morning, min 16°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (calm on Thu morning, fresh winds from the SSW by Fri afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
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) | E 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | ESE 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 16 | S 15 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | SSE 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
157 | 300 | 191 | 739 | 739 | 701 | 716 | 650 | 592 | 524 | 452 | 386 | 279 | 228 | 269 | 1147 | 1630 | 1252 | 759 | 639 | 415 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 6:11AM1.82m | 6:38PM1.88m | 6:48AM1.71m | 7:14PM1.78m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 12:21PM0.26m | 00:48AM0.41m | 12:56PM0.37m | 1:26AM0.52m | |||||||
6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | |
— | 5:12 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 23 | 24 | 20 |
Feels °C | 17 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 21 | 21 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | ESE 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | S 15 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | SSE 11 |
135 | 300 | 191 | 739 | 739 | 701 | 716 | 650 | 592 | 524 | 452 | 386 | 279 | 228 | 184 | 1147 | 1630 | 1252 | 759 | 639 | 415 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 7 | S 11 | SE 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 10 | S 9 | SSW 4 | S 9 | SSW 12 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | S 6 | E 10 | E 10 | E 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | E 9 |
115 | 119 | 168 | 52 | 31 | 17 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 14 | 41 | 34 | 14 | 45 | 156 | 153 | 82 | 51 | 39 | 85 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 14 | S 10 | SE 10 | S 10 | — | SW 16 | SE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 11 | S 6 | S 10 | S 17 | SSW 16 | — | — | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SSE 14 |
157 | 33 | 75 | 4 | 30 | — | 10 | 5 | 11 | 17 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 269 | — | — | 85 | 61 | 62 | 136 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | N 3 | — | — | — | S 3 | SSW 4 | — | — | N 3 | SSW 2 | S 5 | SSW 6 | — | — | NE 6 | — | — | SSW 4 |
— | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | 11 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 66 | 107 | — | — | 138 | — | — | 9 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 80 | 209 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 219 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.










