Bay of Plenty Surf Break

Lat Long: 29.84° S 31.04° E

Bay of Plenty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 am 19 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Bay of Plenty sea temperature is
22.3° C
0.5° 

Bay of Plenty surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Bay of Plenty surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 19 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 12s period, SSE swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 18s period, S swell with 1,579 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 19 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 14s period with SSE 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 Sunday (Jul 19) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Bay of Plenty in the next 16 days are 1.6m 18s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy 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 20) at 8AM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8AM (Sun 19th Jul)4.5ft (1.3m) 14s
Best Surf 8PM (Sun 19th Jul)5.5ft (1.7m) 12s
Most Powerful 8PM (Fri 24th Jul)5ft (1.6m) 18s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bay of Plenty over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

G'day, Rusty here. Let's talk about the Bay of Plenty stretch – a beach and jetty setup that's pretty consistent and forgiving for beginners, though crowds can show up now and then. The water's about 72°F right now, which is bang on average for this time of year – no weirdness there.

The outlook kicks off on Sunday the 19th July with a clean morning. Swell's 6 ft from the SSE with a 12-second period, and the glassy conditions mean it's looking real nice. The combined energy is sitting at 950 (moderate), so there's punch but not overwhelming. That's a solid session for anyone, though the size might push beginners a bit. After that, the week turns messy. Monday through Wednesday see the swell sticking around 4–6 ft but the wind gets cross or onshore, chopping things up. By Thursday the 23rd, a fresh S wind clocks in at 19–22 mph, swell jumps to 7 ft but with a pathetic 6–8 second period – that's just wind slop, and the energy is still moderate (798). Not worth paddling out. Friday the 24th shows a brief improvement with a clean morning: 4 ft from the S, 10-second period, light cross-off breeze, combined energy 366 – weak but clean. Still, nothing special.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Saturday the 25th through to Friday the 31st, it's mostly small, messy, or wind-blown. There's a few glimpses of glass on the 29th Wednesday morning – 3 ft, ENE, 9 seconds – but it's tiny and weak. The energy barely cracks 400. Honestly, for a week and a half you're better off waiting.

Now, the real standout lands on Saturday the 1st of August. Early morning, the Bay of Plenty cleans right up with a glassy calm. Swell is 8 ft from the SSE, period 11 seconds – that's a proper groundswell. The combined energy jumps to 1991 (strong), so there's plenty of grunt. This is excellent surf, but the size and power mean it's only for experienced surfers. The direction is SSE, real close to the optimum SE, so the waves should line up nicely on the jetty. The glassy wind makes it a dream. Afternoon goes cross-on and choppy, so get it early. There's also a possible follow-up on Monday the 3rd August morning: glassy again, 7 ft from the NE, but the period's only 7 seconds – short and crumbly. Energy moderate (1118), still decent but not as good as Saturday. The NE direction is far from the preferred SE, so it'll be less consistent.

Overall, the best bet is that Saturday 1st August morning. The rest of the window is mostly forgettable, so if you can, mark that date. The Bay of Plenty often bounces back, so don't write off the whole run – but for now, that's the pick.

Rusty out.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Tue afternoon, min 16°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Warm (max 23°C on Wed afternoon, min 17°C on Wed morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the S on Thu afternoon, calm by Fri night).

Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
4
2
2
3
2
1
3
2
0
3
0
0
3
2
2
4
2
1
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.7
SSE
12
1.7
SSE
12
1.8
SE
12
1.9
SE
12
1.9
SE
12
1.6
SE
12
1.4
SE
12
1.3
SE
12
1.2
SE
11
1.1
SE
12
1
SE
12
0.9
SE
12
1.8
SSW
6
2.2
S
8
2.1
SSW
9
1.2
S
10
1.2
S
11
1.5
S
16
1.1
S
15
1
S
15
1.1
S
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
820
861
948
1100
1010
683
546
486
369
314
278
199
222
612
692
260
319
1144
520
458
544
Wind (km/h)
5
ESE
10
ENE
10
NW
20
S
10
E
10
NNW
15
NE
20
NE
10
NNW
15
NE
20
NE
10
NNW
30
S
35
S
20
W
10
SW
5
NE
10
N
10
NE
10
ENE
10
WNW
Wind State
glassy
cross-on
off
cross
on
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
off
High Tide
7:14PM1.78m
7:24AM1.59m
7:52PM1.65m
8:03AM1.46m
8:36PM1.52m
8:51AM1.33m
9:34PM1.41m
10:13AM1.23m
11:07PM1.35m
12:17PM1.23m
00:47AM1.38m
1:42PM1.33m
1:52AM1.47m
Low Tide
12:56PM0.37m
1:26AM0.52m
1:31PM0.50m
2:06AM0.65m
2:09PM0.64m
2:56AM0.77m
2:58PM0.77m
4:10AM0.86m
4:18PM0.88m
6:01AM0.86m
6:17PM0.89m
7:26AM0.78m
7:39PM0.81m
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
clear
part cloud
light rain
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:48
6:48
6:47
6:47
6:46
6:46
6:45
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:15
5:15
5:15
5:16
5:17
5:17
5:19
 mm
3
Temp °C
20
20
19
20
20
19
19
21
19
22
23
20
21
20
19
17
18
18
19
20
18
Feels °C
20
19
20
17
18
19
17
18
18
18
19
20
17
13
15
15
19
19
18
18
19
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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