
Surf Forecasts:
Lyall Bay surf forecast from 5 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 6 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 7 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 14s period, S swell with 1,391 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 6 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s 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 Thursday (Aug 06) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 11s. 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 1.9m 14s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 07) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 09) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Thu 6th Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Thu 6th Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Fri 7th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Lyall Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Lyall Bay over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, it’s a slow start. We’re looking at a bit of a waiting game. The first worthwhile window doesn’t show up until Thursday morning, the 6th of August. That morning we’ve got a 5ft SSE swell, period 10 seconds, with a light cross-shore wind. The combined energy is moderate at 857, but the conditions are described as marginal. The afternoon cleans up nicely with a 5ft SE swell and a light offshore wind from the NNW, making for clean surf. That’s your first real chance for a paddle, but it’s nothing to write home about.
Friday the 7th takes a turn for the worse. The swell picks up to 5ft from the S with a 15-second period, and energy jumps to 1490, but a fresh to strong cross-offshore wind blows it out. Saturday the 8th is a bit of a tease: the morning shows a 5ft S swell, 11-second period, with a gentle cross-offshore breeze and clean conditions (energy 577). It’s surfable, but it’s not a standout.
Then we hit a dry spell. From Sunday the 9th right through to Saturday the 15th, the waves are either too small, blown out, or the conditions are just ordinary. The swell drops below 3ft for most of that stretch, and winds are often onshore or strong offshore, making it hard work for little reward. There’s a brief moment on the afternoon of the 14th with glassy conditions and a tiny 1ft ESE swell, but it’s barely a ripple.
The real story, and the only true standout in this outlook, is Monday the 17th of August. The afternoon session is a serious one, but only for the experienced crew. We’re looking at a 10ft SSE swell, period 8 seconds, with a light cross-shore wind and a combined energy of 1205. The forecast notes the wind and tide are favorable, but that size is too big for beginners – it’s an expert-only wave at this break. If you’re skilled and game, that’s your moment.
After that, the following days are mostly blown out by gale-force winds or onshore slop, but Thursday the 20th of August morning shows some promise again with a 4ft S swell, 11-second period, a moderate offshore wind from the N, and clean conditions (energy 412). It’s not a standout, but it’s a solid, surfable option after a rough patch.
So, to sum it up: the best bet is Monday the 17th afternoon for experts. For everyone else, Thursday the 6th afternoon and Thursday the 20th morning are your most reliable windows for a clean, manageable wave.
Stay safe out there.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 12°C on Sat morning, min 6°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Thu morning, strong winds from the NNW by Fri morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 12°C on Sat night, min 9°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NNW on Sun morning, light winds from the WNW by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | ||||||||||||||
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 11 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | S 15 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | S 9 | S 7 | S 8 | SSE 11 | SSE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
1504 | 500 | 392 | 322 | 1070 | 1127 | 547 | 546 | 442 | 290 | 200 | 128 | 72 | 96 | 133 | 110 | 157 | 149 | 113 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:17PM1.57m | 10:35AM1.64m | 11:05PM1.60m | 11:25AM1.69m | 11:54PM1.62m | 12:17PM1.73m | 00:46AM1.62m | 1:12PM1.76m | 1:42AM1.62m | 2:07PM1.78m | 2:41AM1.61m | 3:04PM1.79m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:36AM0.63m | 4:58PM0.61m | 5:22AM0.60m | 5:48PM0.58m | 6:09AM0.57m | 6:39PM0.54m | 6:57AM0.54m | 7:30PM0.52m | 7:49AM0.51m | 8:24PM0.50m | 8:45AM0.49m | 9:22PM0.50m | |||||||
— | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 8 |
Feels °C | 2 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | S 15 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | S 9 | SSE 9 | S 8 | SSE 11 | SSE 8 |
1504 | 500 | 392 | 322 | 1070 | 1127 | 547 | 546 | 442 | 290 | 200 | 128 | 72 | 96 | 133 | 62 | 157 | 149 | 113 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 16 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 11 | S 18 | — | E 13 | SSE 12 | NW 9 | NW 10 | SE 12 | SSE 11 | NW 8 | SSE 10 |
41 | 281 | 333 | 230 | 220 | 175 | 96 | 16 | 19 | 6 | — | 3 | 15 | 19 | 23 | 71 | 87 | 3 | 73 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 16 | SE 15 | SE 15 | SE 12 | SE 10 | — | S 16 | ESE 12 | S 16 | S 15 | NW 7 | S 18 | S 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | S 13 | N 8 |
93 | 76 | 56 | 184 | 200 | — | 129 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 23 | 21 | 18 | 8 | 3 | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NNW 3 | NNW 4 | NW 5 | NW 5 | NW 5 | NNW 4 | NNW 4 | NNW 6 | NW 6 | NW 5 | S 3 | SSW 8 | S 7 | — | S 7 | NE 3 |
— | — | — | 1 | 35 | 115 | 67 | 18 | 40 | 39 | 96 | 200 | 115 | 1 | 75 | 110 | — | 109 | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 63 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 59 | 54 | 0 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 59 | 38 | 15 | 15 | 25 | 38 | 38 | 0 |
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.











