Surf Forecasts:
Houghton Bay surf forecast from 13 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 11s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 16 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 9s period, S swell with 3,132 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 14 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 0.5ft (0.2m), 16s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Houghton Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Houghton Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 14) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.2m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 7s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Houghton Bay in the next 16 days are 4.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Friday (Aug 21) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Fri 14th Aug) | 0.5ft (0.2m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 3PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Houghton Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Well, I’ve gotta be straight with you—this is a rough stretch for Houghton Bay. We’re looking at a solid 16-day window, but the first week and a half is pretty much a write-off. The good news is, it’s not completely hopeless, and there’s a nice little window that pops up later that’s worth keeping an eye on.
Right now, there’s nothing doing. We’ve got tiny, weak surf with poor conditions all the way from Thursday the 13th through to the 19th. The swell energy is weak, mostly sitting under 100 (51-84), and the wind is just all wrong—blowing onshore or cross-onshore and often strong. For instance, Sunday the 16th sees a big jump in swell size (15ft) but with a screaming onshore gale (34 mph), which is just a mess. That kind of power is for experts only, and even then, not worth it. The water temp is sitting at 54°, right about average for the time of year, so nothing weird there.
We finally get a break in the weather on Thursday the 20th. That’s the standout of the whole outlook. The morning looks glassy as glass—no wind at all, with a solid 6ft S swell running at 12 seconds. That’s a nice groundswell, with moderate energy (912). The water will be clean, the waves will have shape, and that period means you’ll get good gaps between sets. It’s not too big for most surfers, but it’s got enough punch to be fun. Afternoon stays clean with a light cross-offshore breeze. That’s your best bet—hands down.
Friday the 21st is still pretty good, with a clean offshore wind (12 mph from the N) and a 5ft S swell, but the period stretches out to 16 seconds. That’s very long period, so the waves will be more powerful and lined up, but at a beach-and-reef set-up like Houghton Bay, that can make them a bit straight and tricky. Still, it’s a decent option.
After that, it all goes downhill again. From Saturday the 22nd onwards, the wind cranks up—strong to near-gale cross-offshores, which just ruins the surface. The swell drops off fast, and by the 23rd we’re back to tiny, weak waves. The rest of the window, from the 24th to the 28th, is basically dead. There's a gap of several days with no recommendations, so don't bother planning anything.
So, to keep it simple: forget the first week. The real window is Thursday 20th and Friday 21st of August. Thursday morning, with that glass, is the one to chase. It’s not going to be epic, but it’ll be fun and clean. After that, the surf shuts down again.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Sat morning, min 7°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (calm on Thu night, near gales from the SSW by Sat night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 11°C on Tue night, min 7°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSW on Mon night, light winds from the SW by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||
Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | ||||||||||||||
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 8 | SE 9 | S 4 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 7 | S 8 | S 7 | S 8 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
24 | 23 | 13 | 21 | 53 | 82 | 2094 | 2951 | 2038 | 984 | 587 | 913 | 688 | 1283 | 771 | 609 | 1677 | 1275 | 1783 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | on | on | glassy | cross-off | on | on | on | on | on | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | on |
High Tide | 5:37AM1.60m | 6:00PM1.72m | 6:34AM1.61m | 6:58PM1.68m | 7:30AM1.63m | 7:55PM1.65m | 8:23AM1.64m | 8:49PM1.63m | 9:14AM1.65m | 9:40PM1.61m | 10:02AM1.64m | 10:28PM1.60m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:28PM0.53m | 11:45AM0.45m | 00:28AM0.54m | 12:44PM0.47m | 1:24AM0.56m | 1:42PM0.51m | 2:17AM0.58m | 2:40PM0.55m | 3:08AM0.61m | 3:35PM0.59m | 3:57AM0.64m | 4:27PM0.63m | |||||||
— | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
Feels °C | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 4 | -4 | -4 | -3 | -2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SE 9 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 9 | S 20 | SSW 15 | SE 15 | SE 15 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | S 16 | S 15 | S 13 |
14 | 19 | 11 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 5 | 63 | 30 | 186 | 9 | 8 | 200 | 188 | 125 | 37 | 412 | 859 | 1783 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | ESE 7 | SSE 9 | SSW 4 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SE 13 | ESE 12 | S 20 | E 9 | ESE 15 | E 9 | — | — | — | SSW 14 | ESE 10 | SE 13 | ESE 12 |
18 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 53 | 82 | 7 | 15 | 31 | 7 | 23 | 28 | — | — | — | 63 | 9 | 7 | 14 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | ESE 11 | SSW 15 | SE 11 | SE 13 | ESE 13 | — | — | SE 15 | ESE 15 | ESE 15 | — | — | — | ESE 10 | SE 14 | SE 11 | — |
24 | 23 | 13 | 21 | 5 | 7 | 17 | — | — | 9 | 23 | 21 | — | — | — | 21 | 8 | 5 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 3 | SSW 2 | S 4 | — | — | SSW 4 | SSW 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 7 | S 8 | S 7 | S 8 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | — |
3 | 1 | 10 | — | — | 19 | 2094 | 2951 | 2038 | 984 | 587 | 913 | 688 | 1283 | 771 | 609 | 1677 | 1275 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 28 | 59 | 0 | 0 | 194 | 228 | 112 | 194 | 109 | 62 | 62 | 62 | 194 | 209 | 62 | 62 | 209 | 112 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Wellington | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||
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 Houghton Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Houghton Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Houghton Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Houghton Bay 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 (Houghton Bay) 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 Houghton Bay 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.
Houghton Bay is 7 km (4 miles) from the city of Wellington. If you plan a holiday in Wellington, look for hotels and other accommodation in Wellington. Wellington has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











