Houghton Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 41.34° S 174.78° E

Houghton Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 pm 11 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Houghton Bay sea temperature is
12.4° C
0.4° 

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


Houghton Bay surf forecast from 11 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 16s period, S swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 16s period, S swell with 11,610 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 12 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 7s period with SE 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 Wednesday (Aug 12) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Houghton Bay in the next 16 days are 5.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 3s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 13) at 6AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6AM (Wed 12th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 7s
Best Surf 6AM (Wed 19th Aug)16ft (5.0m) 16s
Most Powerful 6AM (Wed 19th Aug)16ft (5.0m) 16s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’re looking at Houghton Bay, and honestly, the next few days are a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a real slow start before the ocean wakes up proper.

The first bit of surfable waves comes in Wednesday morning, but it’s pretty ordinary. You’re looking at a weak little 3ft swell from the SE with a short period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy is a measly 130. It’s clean enough with a light breeze, but it’s more of a paddle-around than a session to get excited about. This limp, inconsistent energy hangs around through Thursday with a small offshore wind, but the swell drops to 2ft. It’s just not doing anything.

Then we hit a real dead zone. From Friday right through to Monday morning, it’s all onshore slop with tiny, gutless waves. The wind is howling out of the south at times, and the swell is blown out and messy. Sunday sees a spike in size to 8ft, but with a near gale on it, the combined energy is 951, but it’s a total mess. Don’t bother.

Now, Monday afternoon is where things start to shift. We get a bit of a glass-off with a 6ft S swell and a light wind. The conditions turn glassy, and the energy is moderate at 573. It’s not a stand-out, but it’s a sign that the ocean is calming down.

The real standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is Wednesday the 19th of August. This is a big, powerful swell. We’re talking a 15ft S groundswell with a very long 16 second period. The combined energy explodes to 10104 – that’s a serious amount of power. The wind is a light, clean cross-off from the NW. This is proper, expert-level surf. The swell direction is directly from the south, which is the optimum for Houghton Bay. It’s going to be big, heavy, and demanding. This is for experienced surfers only. The swell is over 8ft, so it’s not a beginner’s game. The long period will make it wall up nicely at this reef and beach setup, but it will be powerful.

The swell drops a bit on the 20th and 21st, but it’s still sizeable (10ft to 7ft) with long periods and a southerly direction. The wind is a bit cross-onshore or onshore, so the quality is marginal, but there will be plenty of water moving around. These days are a solid option for a strong intermediate or expert looking for size, just not as clean as Wednesday.

The 22nd and 23rd of August offer a reprieve. The swell drops to a more manageable 5ft from the SSE, and the wind goes offshore from the NNW. The conditions look clean, and the wave energy is solid. The combined energy is 687 on the 22nd afternoon, which is a good, fun size. The crowd is marked as “sometimes,” so you might have some company, but it should be a good session.

After that, the wind builds again into the second week. The 24th and 25th see a strong breeze onshore, dropping the quality. The swell is still there, but it’s blown out and messy. The last few days of the run are a write-off with onshore winds and tiny, weak swell.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a bust. The clear standout is Wednesday the 19th of August for the big, powerful, expert-level groundswell. If that’s too heavy, the 22nd and 23rd offer a much cleaner, more manageable session with offshore winds.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu afternoon, min 8°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 12°C on Fri night, min 7°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri night, gales from the SSW by Sat night).

Wednesday
12
Thursday
13
Friday
14
Saturday
15
Sunday
16
Monday
17
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
3
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.3
SSE
8
0.9
SE
7
0.8
SE
7
0.6
ESE
9
0.5
SE
8
0.4
SE
9
0.4
SE
9
0.3
SE
11
0.2
SSW
15
0.2
SSW
15
0.3
SSW
17
0.4
SSW
16
2.5
S
7
2.5
S
8
2
S
7
1.7
S
7
2.1
S
6
1.8
S
7
1.5
S
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
198
82
57
53
34
23
24
23
21
21
56
84
656
805
411
258
357
340
749
Wind (km/h)
15
ENE
10
NNE
10
NNW
20
NNW
20
N
20
N
15
N
5
SSW
15
SSE
5
SE
10
SSW
40
S
65
SSW
55
S
50
S
40
S
20
S
5
SSW
10
SSW
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
off
on
on
cross-on
on
on
on
on
on
on
on
glassy
cross-on
High Tide
3:41AM1.60m
4:02PM1.77m
4:39AM1.60m
5:01PM1.75m
5:37AM1.60m
6:00PM1.72m
6:34AM1.61m
6:58PM1.68m
7:30AM1.63m
7:55PM1.65m
8:23AM1.64m
8:49PM1.63m
Low Tide
9:22PM0.50m
9:45AM0.47m
10:24PM0.51m
10:46AM0.45m
11:28PM0.53m
11:45AM0.45m
00:28AM0.54m
12:44PM0.47m
1:24AM0.56m
1:42PM0.51m
2:17AM0.58m
2:40PM0.55m
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
light rain
light rain
cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:16
7:13
7:13
7:11
7:09
7:09
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:36
5:37
5:37
5:38
5:39
5:40
 mm
3
4
Temp °C
10
12
12
11
13
14
13
13
13
12
12
10
8
8
8
8
9
9
9
Feels °C
7
9
9
8
8
10
10
12
10
12
11
3
-4
-4
-4
-2
5
6
6
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  • 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 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.

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