Lyall Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 41.33° S 174.80° E

Lyall Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 pm 11 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Lyall Bay sea temperature is
12.0° 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 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 18 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 9s period, S swell with onshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 9s period, S swell with 2,969 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 12 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 14s period with SSW 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 Sunday (Jul 12) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Lyall Bay in the next 16 days are 4.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.1m 7s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 3AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 3AM (Sun 12th Jul)2.5ft (0.8m) 14s
Best Surf 9PM (Sat 18th Jul)13ft (4.0m) 9s
Most Powerful 6PM (Sat 18th Jul)13ft (4.0m) 9s

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


Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get stuck into what’s on the table for Lyall Bay over the next couple of weeks.

Straight up, we’re not looking at a classic run. The forecast starts on Saturday, July 11th, with a bit of a dud – a 3 ft SSW swell but the wind is howling from the south making it a complete mess. You wouldn’t bother paddling out. The water temp is sitting at 54°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so nothing weird there.

The first real window to get excited about comes early on Sunday, July 12th. It’s not huge, but that 3 ft SSW swell has a proper 12-second period, and the wind swings to a light north-northeast, giving us a clean cross-off breeze. The combined energy is moderate (284), and the conditions are set to be good. For a Sunday morning session, that’s your best bet early on. The afternoon stays okay with a 3 ft SSW swell, 11-second period, and a clean offshore north wind, but it’s a bit ordinary.

We then hit a dry patch. Monday the 13th through to Wednesday the 15th of July is a write-off – tiny, windy, or both. The wave energy drops to single digits and low double digits (19 to 38), and you’re fighting 25 mph winds for nothing. Thursday the 16th afternoon has a moment at 1 ft with glassy conditions, but it’s honestly just a knee-high dribbler.

Friday the 17th of July offers a bit more size, with a 2-3 ft ESE swell and a very long 16-second period. The wind is a fresh offshore from the north, keeping things clean. The combined energy is strong (351 to 409), so there’s push in the water. That long period means it might be a bit straight at the beach, but it’ll be clean, and the sets will have time between them.

Now, the standout – and I mean the real standout – is Saturday, July 18th. A massive 13 ft south swell rolls in, but the wind is onshore from the south at 22 mph. The energy is absolutely pumping (2409 to 3650), but it’s going to be a messy, blown-out beast. This is NOT for paddle surfing. If you’re into kite surfing, this is your window. For the rest of us, it’s a look-and-wonder situation.

The next day, Sunday, July 19th, is the one for the experts. The swell drops to 7-8 ft from the south, with a 14-second period and a strong offshore north wind. The energy is still very strong (1736 to 2401). That’s big, powerful, and clean, but it’s over 8 ft, so only the experienced crew should be out there. It’s a proper groundswell, so watch for it to be a bit straight at the beach – better if you can find a peak.

Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st of July see the swell back down to a more manageable 4-6 ft, but the wind is a bit tricky. The Tuesday afternoon session on the 21st is a sneaky good one: the swell is 4 ft from the south, 10-second period, and it’s completely glassy with no wind. The energy is moderate (628), and it’s the cleanest setup of the second week. That’s the one to circle.

The rest of the run from Wednesday the 22nd onward fades out. We get a few small, clean sessions with offshore winds, but the swell is tiny (1 ft to 3 ft) and the energy drops off. By the weekend of the 25th and 26th, it’s just a dribble with strong winds and no real punch.

So, in a nutshell: the best of the best is the Sunday, July 12th morning session for a clean, fun-sized wave, and the Tuesday, July 21st afternoon for a glassy, moderate swell. The big stuff on the 18th and 19th is for kiters and experts only.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 13°C on Tue morning, min 7°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (calm on Sat night, strong winds from the NNW by Mon night).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 14°C on Tue night, min 9°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NNW on Tue night, calm by Thu morning).

Sat
11
Sunday
12
Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
Rating
(10 max)
0
2
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
2
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.8
SSW
16
0.8
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
12
0.9
SSW
11
0.7
S
10
0.5
S
10
0.6
S
13
0.4
SSW
12
0.2
SSW
9
0.2
E
10
0.2
E
13
0.2
S
16
0.2
SSW
16
0.9
S
4
1
S
5
0.3
ESE
15
0.4
ESE
15
0.7
ESE
16
0.8
ESE
16
0.9
ESE
15
4
S
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
359
284
252
194
102
47
119
47
8
7
14
21
24
28
54
42
88
220
322
393
1870
Wind (km/h)
20
S
5
SSE
10
NNE
15
N
25
N
40
N
40
NNW
35
N
40
NNW
40
NNW
45
NNW
40
NNW
35
NNW
20
S
10
SSE
5
W
20
N
30
N
30
N
10
NW
35
S
Wind State
on
glassy
cross-off
off
off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
on
cross-on
glassy
off
off
off
cross-off
on
High Tide
2:01AM1.65m
2:26PM1.80m
3:01AM1.65m
3:22PM1.83m
4:01AM1.66m
4:20PM1.85m
5:00AM1.65m
5:20PM1.84m
5:59AM1.65m
6:20PM1.81m
6:57AM1.65m
7:19PM1.77m
7:54AM1.65m
Low Tide
7:47PM0.58m
8:07AM0.58m
8:44PM0.55m
9:05AM0.55m
9:44PM0.53m
10:06AM0.51m
10:48PM0.52m
11:06AM0.48m
11:52PM0.50m
12:05PM0.45m
00:53AM0.49m
1:04PM0.44m
1:50AM0.49m
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
light rain
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:43
7:43
7:43
7:43
7:41
7:41
7:41
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:07
5:07
5:08
5:08
5:09
5:10
5:12
5:13
 mm
2
4
Temp °C
9
9
9
10
9
11
12
12
13
13
14
14
14
11
11
11
10
10
12
11
8
Feels °C
4
6
5
6
4
3
4
4
6
5
7
7
8
7
10
10
7
3
6
5
-2
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Lyall Bay:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Lyall Bay surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


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.

Nearest locationNearest