
Surf Forecasts:
Lyall Bay surf forecast from 7 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 13 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 15s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 13 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 15s period, SSW swell with 2,477 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 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 Tuesday (Sep 08) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 10s 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 2.4m 15s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 13) at 3PM. 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 6s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 10) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Sun 13th Sep) | 8ft (2.4m) 15s |
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's coming down the pipe for the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, we're looking at a rough start. Monday and Tuesday are a write-off, so we're looking at a gap of at least a couple of days before anything gets interesting. The water temp is sitting at 56°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that's a small win.
The first real glimmer of hope shows up on Wednesday morning, the 9th. It's only a tiny 2 ft from the ESE, but with a light breeze and clean conditions, it's at least surfable. It's very small, though, and the energy is weak (72). You'd be on a longboard just getting a feel for it.
Now, let's cut to the chase. The standout window is the weekend of the 12th and 13th. Saturday morning, the 12th, at Lyall Bay, we get a nice 4 ft from the SSW with a period of 13 seconds. The wind is glassy, from the north, and it's clean. The energy is moderate (602), and it's shaping up to be a really fun session. That's the pick for the weekend warriors.
But for the real deal, the one that's got my heart pumping, hold out for Sunday morning, the 13th. The swell jumps to 7 ft from the SSW, with a solid 14-second period. The wind is glassy, the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers, and the energy is strong (1765). That's a big, clean groundswell. Be aware, at 7 ft, this is getting into expert territory. It's going to be a powerful, long-period swell, so it might be a bit too straight for the beach break, but if you can find a bank, it'll be firing. This is the one to circle on the calendar.
Monday the 14th keeps the energy going with a clean 6 ft from the SSW in the morning, but the wind is offshore. That's another solid day. The swell drops off a bit after that, with a couple of marginal days, but nothing that really stands out.
The second week gets a bit messy. There's a flash in the pan on Wednesday afternoon, the 16th, with a 8 ft glassy wave, but it's a short period of 7 seconds, so it'll be a bit lumpy. Later in the week, the wind gets howling, with near-gale force winds on the 19th. That's not surfable, but it might be a dream for the kite surfers. The end of the outlook, around the 20th and 21st, shows a small, clean 3 ft offshore swell returning, but it's nothing to get too excited about.
So, to wrap it up: the start is a dud, but the weekend of the 12th and 13th is your best bet. Sunday morning the 13th is the absolute standout for the experts. Get out there and enjoy it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 12°C on Wed afternoon, min 7°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue morning, near gales from the NNW by Wed night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 22mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 13°C on Sun morning, min 8°C on Thu afternoon). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the S on Thu afternoon, calm by Fri night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 7 | SSW 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSW 14 | S 7 | S 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | S 12 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | S 14 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
247 | 123 | 90 | 79 | 51 | 40 | 40 | 22 | 21 | 64 | 408 | 163 | 232 | 140 | 298 | 1194 | 1801 | 1275 | 2477 | 1599 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | on | on | on | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:26AM1.59m | 1:52PM1.74m | 2:24AM1.58m | 2:48PM1.72m | 3:22AM1.57m | 3:46PM1.70m | 4:19AM1.57m | 4:43PM1.67m | 5:15AM1.59m | 5:39PM1.64m | 6:10AM1.60m | 6:35PM1.62m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:15PM0.48m | 7:33AM0.47m | 8:07PM0.49m | 8:30AM0.47m | 9:03PM0.51m | 9:29AM0.47m | 10:02PM0.55m | 10:29AM0.49m | 11:04PM0.59m | 11:28AM0.51m | 00:02AM0.62m | 12:25PM0.55m | 00:56AM0.64m | |||||||
— | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | |
6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 9 |
Feels °C | 2 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 9 | SSW 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 6 | S 6 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | S 12 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | S 14 |
50 | 123 | 90 | 79 | 51 | 40 | 40 | 22 | 21 | 64 | 40 | 141 | 68 | 140 | 298 | 1194 | 1801 | 1275 | 2477 | 1599 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SE 6 | NW 8 | ESE 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | NW 6 | SSW 19 | S 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | S 5 | NE 13 | WNW 4 | — | — | NW 6 |
21 | 21 | 30 | 3 | 38 | 34 | 33 | 12 | 5 | 11 | 74 | 163 | 232 | 84 | 34 | 7 | 13 | — | — | 36 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | S 13 | NW 8 | NW 8 | S 19 | S 18 | SW 13 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | E 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 7 | SE 6 | — | ESE 7 | — | — | NNW 4 | NW 6 | NW 6 | SSW 6 | S 7 | — | NNW 3 | NNW 4 | — | NNW 4 | — | — | — | NW 6 |
247 | 74 | — | 30 | — | — | 18 | 334 | 47 | 6 | 408 | — | 3 | 2 | — | 35 | — | — | — | 39 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 59 | 38 | 0 | 43 | 6 | 0 | 54 | 77 | 108 | 110 | 110 | 25 | 54 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 3 | 0 | 116 | 15 |
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.










