Lyall Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 41.33° S 174.80° E

Lyall Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 pm 20 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Lyall Bay sea temperature is
11.9° C
0.0° 

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


Lyall Bay surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 12s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 12s period, SSW swell with 1,754 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 16s period with S swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Lyall Bay this week:

The surf forecast for Lyall Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Lyall Bay in the next 16 days are 2.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 3AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6AM (Fri 21st Aug)5ft (1.5m) 16s
Best Surf 9AM (Mon 24th Aug)8ft (2.5m) 12s
Most Powerful 9AM (Mon 24th Aug)8ft (2.5m) 12s

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


The Lowdown

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s coming our way for the next 16 days.

The week kicks off with a ripper on Friday morning, the 21st of August. Lyall Bay will be your go-to, with a solid 5-foot south swell running on a very long 16-second period, giving it heaps of push. The water temp is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The wind is a gentle offshore breeze from the NNE, keeping things glassy. The combined energy is strong at 1100, so you’ll feel the power. It’s going to be clean, consistent fun – a real standout session.

Saturday and Sunday, the 22nd and 23rd, are a write-off. The wind cranks up to near gale force, and the swell drops right away, so don’t even bother. There’s a gap of a couple of days with nothing worth chasing.

Now, Monday the 24th of August is for the experienced crew only. The swell jumps to 8 feet from the SSW, with a 12-second period, and combined energy is a massive 1754. This is serious, powerful stuff. The morning has a light cross-off breeze, so it’s clean, but at that size, it’s strictly for the experts on the bigger boards.

Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th are smaller, with the swell dropping to around 4 to 3 feet, but the wind stays offshore, keeping it clean. The 26th afternoon gets a bit of a cross-on wind, so the morning is your window for a few fun waves.

Thursday the 27th has a fresh offshore breeze, but the swell is only 2 feet, so it’s marginal. The rest of the week into the 30th looks pretty average, with strong winds and small swell.

The next standout to get excited about is Sunday the 30th of August in the afternoon. The swell is a solid 8 feet from the SSW, with a 15-second period, and combined energy hits 2347. The wind is a gentle cross-off, so it’s clean. This is proper groundswell, so it’s going to be a heavy, powerful session – best suited to the reefs and points, or for those who love a big, long-period swell at the beach.

Monday the 31st of August is a beast. The morning sees a 10-foot south swell, 14-second period, and combined energy of 3174. The wind is moderate offshore, so it’s clean, but it’s too big for this break. Unless you’re a seasoned charger, give it a miss. The afternoon is a bit smaller at 8 feet, still excellent for experienced surfers.

The first two days of September (Tuesday and Wednesday) keep the swell running at 6 feet to 5 feet from the south, with offshore winds. It’s very good, clean surf, with plenty of energy. The 4th of September sees a drop in quality, with a messy cross-on wind and a short-period swell that’s not worth paddling out for.

Overall, the best windows are Friday morning 21st August for a fun, clean session, and then Sunday afternoon 30th August for bigger, more powerful groundswell. The rookies should stick to the 21st.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Very mild (max 13°C on Sat afternoon, min 9°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Thu night, gales from the NNW by Sat night).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue afternoon, min 10°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Sun night, strong winds from the NNW by Tue night).

Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
3
0
2
0
0
2
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.5
S
12
1.5
S
16
1.2
S
13
1.1
S
12
1
S
11
0.9
S
11
0.7
S
10
0.4
S
10
0.3
S
9
0.7
SSW
7
2.5
SSW
12
2.2
SSW
12
1.4
SSW
11
1.1
S
10
0.9
S
10
0.6
SSW
14
0.9
SSW
15
0.8
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
628
1079
475
322
235
188
98
30
16
40
1754
1316
469
240
160
158
390
280
178
Wind (km/h)
10
NNE
15
NNE
30
NNW
50
NNW
50
NNW
45
NW
55
NW
50
NW
45
WNW
40
WNW
10
NNW
30
NNW
25
NNW
20
NNW
35
NNW
45
NNW
15
NNW
15
SSE
10
NNE
Wind State
cross-off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
off
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
11:13PM1.57m
11:37AM1.61m
11:56PM1.55m
12:22PM1.59m
00:39AM1.51m
1:05PM1.58m
1:24AM1.48m
1:46PM1.56m
2:09AM1.44m
2:27PM1.54m
2:54AM1.42m
3:09PM1.52m
Low Tide
5:28AM0.69m
6:02PM0.68m
6:09AM0.71m
6:44PM0.69m
6:48AM0.72m
7:25PM0.70m
7:27AM0.73m
8:05PM0.70m
8:07AM0.73m
8:46PM0.71m
8:51AM0.72m
9:30PM0.72m
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
light rain
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:03
7:01
7:00
6:58
6:56
6:56
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:45
5:45
5:46
5:47
5:49
5:50
 mm
3
4
Temp °C
10
11
11
11
11
13
13
13
13
11
11
12
12
12
15
14
14
10
11
Feels °C
8
7
3
2
1
4
4
3
3
2
8
5
5
7
8
6
11
6
9
  • 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 Lyall Bay Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Lyall Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Lyall Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Lyall 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 (Lyall 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 Lyall 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.

Lyall Bay is 6 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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