
Surf Forecasts:
Raglan-Manu Bay surf forecast from 23 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 26 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 15s period, W swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 14s period, WSW swell with 9,588 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 26 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 15s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Raglan-Manu Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Raglan-Manu Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 15s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Raglan-Manu Bay in the next 16 days are 5.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Sat 25th Jul) | 16ft (5.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Raglan-Manu Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get into it. The upcoming period is a bit of a mixed bag, but there’s a solid window of quality surf if you’re patient. The big story is the swell arriving late in the first week, with a few days of very clean conditions.
The first real chance for a surf is Thursday afternoon, July 23rd, at Manu Bay (Raglan). There’s a 4ft WSW swell ticking over at 13 seconds, which is a nice long-period groundswell. The energy is moderate (595), and the water temp is sitting at 58°, which is about average for the time of year. The wind is light and offshore from the NW, so it’ll be glassy. That said, the score is a bit marginal, so don’t expect perfection.
The next few days are a write-off. Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th are a mess – strong onshore winds, lumpy, and messy. The swell gets huge on Saturday, up to 16ft, but with 28 mph cross-shore winds, it’s unsurfable. Sunday the 26th is where it starts to turn. The swell drops to a solid 10ft, still from the W, but the wind goes light and cross-offshore from the E. The energy is strong (3617), and the conditions are clean. This is a standout for experienced surfers only – that size is too much for beginners.
The real gem is Monday morning, July 27th. We’ve got a 7ft W swell, 13-second period, and the wind is glassy out of the SE. The energy is strong (1491), and the water is clean. This is the best on offer. The wind stays good through Monday afternoon and into Tuesday morning, but the swell starts to drop. The period stays long, though, so the waves will have shape, especially on a point break like Manu Bay.
After Tuesday, the quality fades. There’s a gap from Wednesday the 29th through to the end of the month, with a mix of onshore winds and weaker swell. The long-range stuff into the first week of August looks more promising again. On Monday, August 3rd, there’s a small 2ft groundswell, but it’s coming from 16 seconds and the wind is offshore. That’s a sneaky clean day. By Wednesday, August 5th, the swell picks back up to 6ft with a 17-second period, and the wind is solid offshore from the SSE. That’s another standout for experienced surfers, with strong energy (1876) and clean conditions. It’s a bit far out, so keep an eye on it, but it’s looking good.
Overall, if you’ve got a flexible schedule, Monday the 27th of July is the pick of the bunch. The early signs for August 5th are also worth getting excited about, but it’s a longer-range call. The crowd at Manu Bay can be there sometimes, so get out early. This is a point break, so that long-period groundswell will line up nicely.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 42mm), heaviest during Fri night. Very mild (max 13°C on Fri morning, min 7°C on Sun morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Sat morning, calm by Sat night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 12°C on Tue afternoon, min 7°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | NW 7 | WNW 9 | W 10 | WSW 13 | WSW 15 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 13 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
595 | 476 | 172 | 373 | 898 | 3353 | 9228 | 6716 | 3617 | 2412 | 2261 | 1491 | 1230 | 768 | 671 | 488 | 356 | 292 | 308 | 778 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 5:20PM2.24m | 5:51AM2.22m | 6:41PM2.28m | 7:02AM2.25m | 7:41PM2.38m | 8:00AM2.34m | 8:29PM2.52m | 8:48AM2.46m | 9:10PM2.65m | 9:30AM2.58m | 9:47PM2.78m | 10:08AM2.69m | 10:22PM2.88m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:38PM1.01m | 12:10PM0.91m | 00:57AM0.99m | 1:21PM0.87m | 1:57AM0.90m | 2:16PM0.77m | 2:43AM0.78m | 3:01PM0.66m | 3:23AM0.66m | 3:40PM0.54m | 3:59AM0.55m | 4:16PM0.43m | ||||||||
— | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | |
5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 8 | 19 | 5 | 2 | — | 8 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 12 |
Feels °C | 10 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 13 | — | — | WSW 15 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 13 |
595 | 476 | 172 | 196 | 101 | — | — | 6716 | 3617 | 2412 | 2261 | 1491 | 1230 | 768 | 671 | 488 | 356 | 292 | 308 | 778 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | WSW 6 | — | WSW 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 18 | W 16 | W 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | — |
— | — | 29 | — | 61 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 5 | 21 | 47 | 236 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | W 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NNW 4 | NW 7 | WNW 9 | W 10 | WSW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 5 |
— | — | 18 | 373 | 898 | 3353 | 9228 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 72 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 62 | 219 | 222 | 228 | 169 | 179 | 257 | 108 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 56 | 101 | 0 | 0 | 135 | 108 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Raglan and West Waikato | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Raglan-Manu Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Raglan-Manu Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Raglan-Manu Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Raglan-Manu 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 (Raglan-Manu 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 Raglan-Manu 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.
Raglan-Manu Bay is 42 km (26 miles) from Hamilton. If you plan a holiday in Raglan and West Waikato, look for hotels and other accommodation in Hamilton. Hamilton has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










