Surf Forecasts:
Lyall Bay surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, S swell with onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 11s period, S swell with 5,985 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s 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 Wednesday (Aug 19) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be onshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Lyall Bay in the next 16 days are 5.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.3m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 3PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 16ft (5.0m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Lyall Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Lyall Bay has in store for us over the coming weeks.
Well, I gotta be straight with you – this 16-day run starts off with a bit of a dud and stays pretty grim for a long stretch. The first recommendation we get isn't until Thursday the 20th, so you're staring at a few days of washing your board shorts before that.
Now, the highlight of the whole period, and it's the only real standout, lands on Thursday morning the 22nd. Yeah, there's a gap of quiet days after that too, but trust me, this one's worth making a plan for. The water's sitting at a pretty average 54° for the time of year, nothing unusual about it.
Thursday Morning – August 20th (Lyall Bay)
Alright, this is the one. We get a clean 5 ft south swell rolling in with a solid 12-second period. That's a groundswell, so it'll have some proper energy behind it (743), but it's not going to dump like a freight train. The wind is dead glassy from the west, absolutely nothing stirring it up. Expect very good surf conditions – this is a morning to get out there before anything else changes. It's a beginner-friendly size, so even the crew finding their feet can have a crack. The swell is coming from the south, which is the optimum direction for Lyall Bay, so it'll set up nicely.
The Rest of the Forecast:
After that Thursday morning, it's mostly a write-off. Thursday afternoon drops to a short-period 5 ft south-swell but it's glassy calm at 0 wind, so you might squeeze a few fun ones in but it's not the same quality. Friday the 21st sees a strong cross-offshore wind pick up, making things marginal, and from Saturday the 22nd onwards it's a week of strong winds and messy, poor conditions. Swell sizes drop to nothing, and the energy (29-45) is virtually non-existent. There's a small window on Monday the 24th with a 5 ft SSW swell but it's blown out again.
Further out, late in the month and into September, there's a few flickers. Wednesday morning, September 2nd, shows some promise with a 5 ft south-swell and a gentle offshore wind, getting clean. Then by Wednesday afternoon, things get interesting for the experienced crew: a 7 ft south-swell with a 13-second period and moderate offshore wind. The combined energy jumps to 1407, so there's plenty of power, but at 7 ft it's pushing the size limit for a fun paddle. It's marked as excellent for experienced surfers though, so keep an eye on that one if you've got the skills.
So there you have it. For the next 16 days, the big winner is Thursday the 20th. Don't sleep on it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Wed afternoon. Very mild (max 11°C on Thu night, min 8°C on Tue afternoon). Winds decreasing (near gales from the SSW on Tue afternoon, calm by Thu afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 14°C on Mon morning, min 10°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the NNW on Fri night, fresh winds from the NW by Mon morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 10 | S 11 | S 11 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 8 | S 12 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 13 | SSW 10 | SSW 15 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
4189 | 7794 | 3546 | 3613 | 1355 | 690 | 313 | 628 | 663 | 453 | 260 | 188 | 146 | 69 | 26 | 15 | 101 | 750 | 154 | 387 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | on | on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:40PM1.61m | 10:02AM1.64m | 10:28PM1.60m | 10:50AM1.63m | 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 | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:35PM0.59m | 3:57AM0.64m | 4:27PM0.63m | 4:44AM0.66m | 5:16PM0.66m | 5:28AM0.69m | 6:02PM0.68m | 6:09AM0.71m | 6:44PM0.69m | 6:48AM0.72m | 7:25PM0.70m | 7:27AM0.73m | 8:05PM0.70m | |||||||
— | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | |
5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | -2 | -3 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | E 12 | SE 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 8 | S 12 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 9 | SSW 6 | S 9 | SSW 13 | SSW 10 | SSW 15 |
19 | 23 | 29 | 3613 | 1355 | 690 | 313 | 628 | 663 | 453 | 260 | 188 | 146 | 69 | 26 | 11 | 101 | 750 | 154 | 387 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | ESE 13 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 17 | S 16 | ESE 12 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | SE 11 | SE 11 | E 13 | ESE 13 | S 9 | S 16 | SE 13 | SSW 15 | ESE 14 |
— | — | — | 18 | 115 | 33 | 91 | 195 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 15 | 21 | 7 | 73 | 21 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | SE 12 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | SE 12 | E 9 | SE 11 | SE 12 | SE 12 | E 15 | — | S 10 | E 13 | SE 13 | N 16 | ESE 14 | — |
— | — | — | — | 23 | 20 | 12 | 23 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | — | 2 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 18 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 11 | S 11 | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 2 | NNW 5 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 4 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 5 | NW 3 |
4189 | 7794 | 3546 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 85 | 230 | 437 | 301 | 331 | 224 | 31 | 36 | 24 | 59 | 11 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 195 | 195 | 110 | 63 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 54 | 63 | 63 | 63 | 129 | 116 | 59 | 126 | 63 | 63 | 63 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Wellington | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











