Surf Forecasts:
Bay of Plenty surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 12s period, SE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 12s period, SE swell with 761 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 12s period with SE 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 20) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Bay of Plenty in the next 16 days are 1.6m 12s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) 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 0.6m 3s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bay of Plenty over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, lookin' at the surf for the Bay of Plenty. Gotta be honest with ya, it's a bit of a rough stretch ahead. The next couple of weeks are gonna test your patience.
We start off with a bit of a wait. There's nothing really worth paddling out for until we get to the end of July. The first few days of the outlook are a total write-off with messy, choppy conditions and cross-shore winds that just won't quit. The water's sitting at a warm 73°, which is a touch warmer than normal, so at least you won't be freezing your toes off while you're waiting.
The first real glimmer of hope comes on the morning of Friday, July 31st. That's our best bet, and the standout of the whole run. The Bay of Plenty (beach/jetty) is expecting a clean 5 ft swell from the east. The real magic here is the wind: it's glassy, dead calm. That's a major positive, meaning the surface will be like a mirror. The swell energy is pretty weak at 379, so it won't be a big day, but for a beginner-friendly spot like this, it's a fun option. You might have some company though, as crowds are sometimes around.
After that, the forecast gets wild. At the start of August, the swell really kicks up. On Saturday, August 1st, the swell jumps to 10 ft from the south, with wave energy soaring to 1633. However, the wind is a moderate cross-shore, and that size is just too big for this break. This is really for the experts only, if anyone. The same goes for Sunday, August 2nd – another 10 ft swell from the south-west, but with glassy conditions in the morning. Still, too big for the average punter. The energy is massive at 1807.
Then on Monday, August 3rd, we see the biggest numbers of the whole forecast. A 10 ft swell from the south-southeast, with an incredible 3403 combined energy. The wind is a moderate cross-shore, but again, it's just too much for this spot. These big days at the end of the run are promising but less certain, and unless you're a seasoned charger, you're better off sitting this one out.
So, to sum it up: aim for the glassy morning of the 31st of July for a clean, fun session. Everything else is either messy, too big, or both. It's a bit of a dry spell, but it tends not to stay poor for long.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Wed afternoon, min 16°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 20°C on Thu afternoon, min 15°C on Sat night). Mainly fresh winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | NE 7 | SE 12 | SE 12 | S 6 | S 9 | S 8 | SSW 16 | S 19 | S 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | ENE 6 | NE 7 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1010 | 683 | 546 | 546 | 435 | 361 | 319 | 296 | 167 | 164 | 161 | 542 | 336 | 475 | 188 | 412 | 172 | 213 | 144 | 489 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 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 | 2:30PM1.47m | 2:37AM1.57m | |||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 8:16AM0.66m | 8:30PM0.69m | ||||||||
 |  | | |  | | | | |  |  | |  |  | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — |
 | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:19 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 19 |
Feels °C | 17 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | S 8 | S 8 | S 14 | S 8 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | ENE 7 |
| kJ | 1010 | 683 | 546 | 546 | 435 | 361 | 319 | 162 | 74 | 164 | 106 | 77 | 59 | 186 | 131 | 412 | 61 | 213 | 139 | 256 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 9 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | ENE 4 | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SSW 14 | S 12 | NE 7 | SSW 20 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | S 19 | SSW 15 | SSE 12 | SE 10 | SSE 10 |
| kJ | 29 | 78 | 56 | 91 | 13 | 222 | 141 | 236 | 167 | 143 | 108 | 2 | 128 | 475 | 174 | 176 | 172 | 119 | 110 | 65 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SSW 16 | E 9 | E 9 | SSW 13 | SSW 15 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | E 10 | SSW 15 | SE 11 | S 19 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSW 9 | S 8 | S 13 |
| kJ | 29 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 138 | 6 | 6 | 68 | 71 | 43 | 12 | 2 | 23 | 41 | 188 | 15 | 15 | 25 | 12 | 84 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NE 3 | NE 5 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | NE 7 | SSW 5 | S 6 | S 6 | S 9 | S 8 | — | — | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | NE 7 |
| kJ | — | — | — | 2 | 49 | 18 | 58 | 296 | 32 | 44 | 161 | 542 | 336 | — | — | 7 | 13 | 17 | 144 | 489 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 409 | 0 | 154 | 155 | 52 | 222 | 896 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 476 | 684 | 219 |
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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