Surf Forecasts:
Bay of Plenty surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 29 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, S swell with 2,055 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 25 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 9s 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 25) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 16s. 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 Friday (Jul 24) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 4s period and expected on Monday (Jul 27) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Wed 29th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bay of Plenty over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what the Bay of Plenty’s got cooking for us over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first few days are a write-off. Friday the 24th is a no-go with a solid 12ft of south swell but a screaming 28 mph cross-shore wind that’s gonna make it a total washing machine. That’s a lot of energy in the water (2124), but it’s ugly energy. We’re looking at a big blank until things start to clean up.
Saturday the 25th is still pretty marginal. The swell drops to 6ft from the SSE, with a light cross-onshore breeze, but it’s just not firing. The real hope starts to build towards the end of next week.
Now, the standout window is looking like Friday the 31st of July. Mark it in your calendar. We’ve got a 6ft swell rolling in from the SE, and the wind is forecast to be dead glass in the morning. That’s the kind of clean you dream about. The energy is solid (906), and those waves are going to have some push. The water temp is sitting at 73°, which is a touch warmer than average for this time of year, so you might not even need a full wetsuit.
The Bay of Plenty is a beach and jetty setup, so it’s a good spot for the beginners, but at 6ft, it’s starting to push into more intermediate territory. The morning glass-off will be the key. The swell direction from the SE matches the optimum, so the banks should be working. Crowds are a possibility there, so get out early.
After that, things get a bit patchy again. Saturday the 1st of August hangs in there with similar 6ft swell, but a light cross-onshore wind will put a tiny bit of texture on it. It’s still surfable, just not as pristine as Friday.
Look, the second week from the 4th of August onward is a bit of a mixed bag. We see some size pop up, like 7ft on Wednesday the 5th, but the wind is a messy cross-shore from the NE, and the period is short at 8 seconds. That’s wind swell, and it’s going to be lumpy. There’s a pulse of energy on Friday the 7th of August with 8ft from the ENE, but again, the short period and cross-shore wind mean it’s more of a wrestle than a glide. Anyone looking to get out on those bigger, messier days might find it’s more fun for a kite than a paddle.
So, the bottom line: sit tight for the first week, and then hammer Friday the 31st of July. That’s your best bet by a long shot.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri morning, min 14°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSW on Fri morning, calm by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 39mm), heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 20°C on Mon afternoon, min 14°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Mon morning, strong winds from the SW by Wed afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | |||||||||||||||
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 10 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | S 16 | NE 6 | SSW 14 | SSW 6 | S 7 | S 6 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 2055 | 1080 | 432 | 587 | 563 | 470 | 335 | 206 | 137 | 167 | 63 | 104 | 130 | 149 | 876 | 809 | 826 | 1086 | 1713 | 1609 | 1128 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | on | off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 12:17PM1.23m | 00:47AM1.38m | 1:42PM1.33m | 1:52AM1.47m | 2:30PM1.47m | 2:37AM1.57m | 3:06PM1.60m | 3:13AM1.67m | 3:38PM1.73m | 3:44AM1.75m | 4:07PM1.83m | 4:14AM1.81m | 4:36PM1.91m | 4:43AM1.85m | |||||||
Low Tide | 6:17PM0.89m | 7:26AM0.78m | 7:39PM0.81m | 8:16AM0.66m | 8:30PM0.69m | 8:53AM0.54m | 9:09PM0.58m | 9:25AM0.43m | 9:42PM0.47m | 9:54AM0.34m | 10:13PM0.39m | 10:23AM0.27m | 10:43PM0.34m | ||||||||
 | |  | | |  | | | | | | |  |  |  |  | |  | | | | |
 | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — |
 | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:22 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 27 | 3 | 1 | 5 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 17 |
Feels °C | 9 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 11 | SE 11 | S 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSE 10 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 |
| kJ | 60 | 43 | 432 | 587 | 563 | 470 | 335 | 206 | 71 | 70 | 40 | 51 | 59 | 80 | 81 | 365 | 250 | 1086 | 1713 | 1609 | 1128 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 22 | SSW 19 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 12 | SE 8 | E 8 | SSW 12 | SW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | E 10 | SSW 15 | E 11 |
| kJ | 9 | 125 | 269 | 123 | 174 | 118 | 184 | 181 | 75 | 24 | 34 | 50 | 54 | 149 | 214 | 78 | 64 | 62 | 30 | 74 | 36 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 10 | SE 11 | S 19 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | S 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 18 | SSW 11 | — | — | — | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | E 11 | SSW 15 |
| kJ | — | 2 | 40 | 63 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 137 | 27 | 63 | 51 | 61 | 40 | — | — | — | 113 | 50 | 36 | 71 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 9 | — | — | — | — | NE 2 | ENE 4 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | — | SSW 6 | S 7 | S 6 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 9 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 2055 | 1080 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 18 | 68 | 167 | — | 104 | 130 | 144 | 876 | 809 | 826 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 684 | 330 | 0 | 1 | 155 | 0 | 5 | 687 | 219 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 238 | 895 | 238 | 219 | 238 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 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.
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