Bay of Plenty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what the Bay of Plenty has in store for us.

Right off the bat, things are looking pretty average for a while. We've got a solid run of days ahead with low-quality surf and dodgy conditions. The first session worth mentioning is a bit of a wait; the earlier part of the week is mostly a write-off with onshore winds and messy, poor waves. There's a gap of a few days with no decent recommendations straight up.

Thursday, August 13th morning is where we finally see a glimmer of hope. The Bay of Plenty (beach/jetty) cleans up with a light offshore wind from the WSW, 3 mph, and a clean sea surface. You’ve got a 6 ft swell coming from the ESE, but with a short period of 8 seconds, don't expect a ton of punch. The combined wave energy is moderate at 523. Water temp is sitting at 71°, pretty much spot on for this time of year, so nothing weird going on there. This is a decent little window for a beginner-friendly wave.

Honestly, for the next week and a half after that, it’s a pretty grim story. The wind swings onshore or cross-shore, the swell drops off, and the ratings are poor. There's a big run of days from the 14th through to the 21st where the forecast is for messy, choppy slop. The wind is up from the NE a lot, and the waves just aren't working. It just looks like a struggle for a paddle surfer.

But hold on... The standout is looking like Saturday, August 22nd morning. The forecast is promising a much bigger 10 ft swell from the SE with a period of 11 seconds. The combined energy is very strong at 2220, which is serious power. Now, the caveat: the break is a beach/jetty setup, and at 10 ft, this is expert territory only – too big for beginners. The wind is a cross-onshore from the NE at 9 mph, so it won't be glassy, but the sheer size and long period will make for some powerful, hollow waves for those who are skilled enough. For the average surfer, this is a day to watch from the sand. The afternoon drops to 8 ft, still big and still for experienced crew only.

The final few days, from the 23rd on, look like a downturn again with strong cross-shore winds and a drop in quality.

So, to sum it up: the first real clean session is Thursday morning the 13th for some small, clean waves. The big red circle on the calendar is Saturday the 22nd for a very solid, expert-level swell. Other than that, it's a long stretch of poor to marginal conditions. Forecasts can change, but right now it's a waiting game.

Stay stoked, and don't force it.
- Rusty

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