Lyall Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 41.33° S 174.80° E

Lyall Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 pm 11 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Lyall Bay sea temperature is
12.3° C
0.3° 

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 11 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, S swell with onshore 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 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 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 Lyall 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 9PM (Tue 18th Aug)13ft (4.0m) 10s
Most Powerful 6AM (Wed 19th Aug)16ft (5.0m) 16s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, let’s get into it. Lyall Bay is the only spot on the cards here, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag over the next two weeks. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there.

The next few days are pretty flat and ordinary. Wednesday and Thursday the 12th and 13th see small, weak swell coming out of the SE and ESE, with heights maxing out around 3 ft. The wind is a light cross-off, so the surface is clean, but the waves are tiny and short-period (7–8 seconds), lacking any real push. Combined energy is weak (130 and 116), so you’re basically on a longboard or a foil.

Friday the 14th morning is interesting – glassy conditions with a 0.7 ft swell from the SSW, but a super long period of 15 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, but barely any height. The energy is very low (55). It’s more of a novelty than a proper session. Afternoon turns onshore, so that’s it.

Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th go downhill fast. Onshore winds build, and by Sunday morning we’ve got an 8 ft swell from the south with a near gale on top. Combined energy jumps to 951, but it’s a messy, blown-out mess. That’s expert-only territory if you’re brave enough, but honestly, it’s not surfable in any fun way.

Monday the 17th stays big and onshore, with 7 ft S swell and 6-second period. The energy is strong (539), but the wind is on it, making it a washing machine. Tuesday the 18th is more of the same – onshore and messy.

Now, the standout: Wednesday the 19th. This is a proper big swell event. We’re looking at a 15 ft S swell with a 16-second period on Wednesday morning, and the combined energy is massive (10,104). The wind is light and cross-off, so the surface will be clean. The problem is, this is way too big for Lyall Bay – it’s an expert-only beast, and even then, the wave quality will be challenging. Good luck if you’ve got the skills and a big board. The afternoon stays oversized at 12 ft.

Thursday the 20th through the 22nd sees the swell drop but still sizeable. Thursday morning is 10 ft S swell with light cross-onshore wind – still big, but more manageable for strong paddlers. By Saturday the 22nd, we get a clean offshore breeze from the NNW and 6 ft SSE swell, combined energy 687. That’s the best window for a decent session without the chaos. The wind is moderate offshore, so the waves will be clean and well-shaped. The period is 11 seconds, so it’s got some power.

The following week, from the 23rd onward, fades out. Sunday the 23rd has offshore winds but the swell drops to 5 ft, and then the wind cranks up to near gale strength from the 24th to the 26th, making it basically un-surfable. By the 27th, we’re back to tiny, onshore slop.

If you’re after the best of the best, I’d pin Saturday the 22nd as the top pick. Offshore wind, chest to head-high swell, clean conditions. The 19th is a monster, but only for the brave and the skilled.

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)
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.3
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)
10
ENE
10
NNE
10
NNW
20
NNW
20
N
20
N
15
N
5
SSW
15
SSE
5
SE
10
SSW
35
S
60
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
glassy
on
cross-on
on
on
on
on
on
on
on
cross-on
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
  • Map Icons:
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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 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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