
Surf Forecasts:
Raglan-Manu Bay surf forecast from 12 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 15 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 16s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 16 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 16s period, WSW swell with 2,977 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 13 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 10s period with WNW 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 Thursday (Aug 13) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Raglan-Manu Bay in the next 16 days are 2.4m 16s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Thu 13th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Sat 15th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Raglan-Manu Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get into it. This is Manu Bay we’re looking at – a classic point break that loves a good SW groundswell. And we’ve got some proper action coming.
The first few days are a bit minor. Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th will have some rideable waves, but it’s nothing to get excited about. The swell is small and the wind is cross-off, so it’s clean but weak. The energy is moderate (234-427). The water’s sitting at about 57°F, which is pretty average for this time of year, so no big deal.
Then it starts to build. Thursday afternoon sees a nice little jump, and by Friday the 14th you’ve got consistent 4ft swell from the WSW with a proper 16-second period, and the wind is light. The energy is solid (834-797). It’s good, clean fun.
But the real standout is Saturday the 15th. That morning is a gem: 6ft of long-period WSW swell (17 seconds), a clean offshore breeze from the S, and the energy is pumping (1749). That’s perfect for a point break. The waves will be well-shaped, with long walls and plenty of power. It’s not for the faint-hearted – this is for experienced surfers. The Saturday afternoon gets a bit messy with a cross-shore wind picking up, so get in early.
Sunday the 16th is another cracker for the crew who can handle it. 7ft of WSW swell, still a 16-second period, with a light SSE wind in the morning. That’s big, powerful, and clean – a proper expert session. The energy is huge (2300). This is the kind of day that gets the heart pumping.
The following week settles down a bit, but there are still plenty of good windows. Monday the 17th is a bit tricky with afternoon onshore winds, but Tuesday the 18th is a glassy dream: 6ft of swell, light SE wind turning glassy, and moderate energy (1122). That’s a beautiful morning paddle. Wednesday the 19th is also glassy in the morning, with 4ft of clean swell. Good times.
The second week sees the swell drop off. The 21st and 22nd are small, with 3ft to 4ft, and the wind is mostly light. It’s surfable but nothing special. The 23rd and 24th get even smaller, with energy dropping into the weak range (105-210). The 25th has a tiny pulse of 2ft with a 14-second period, which might give a few fun runners, but it’s a long shot.
The very end of the window, around the 26th and 27th, is blowy with onshore winds and rain. Not worth paddling out for.
So, the standout is Saturday the 15th, with Sunday the 16th a close second. If you’re an experienced surfer, those are your days. The rest of the first week has plenty of solid, clean waves for the intermediate crew. The second week is a bit of a fade-out, so don’t stress if you miss it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Wed afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri morning, min 11°C on Wed afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Sat afternoon, min 5°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | ||||||||||||||
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 16 | W 16 | WNW 10 | W 13 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | W 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
203 | 177 | 167 | 663 | 596 | 644 | 1135 | 702 | 1800 | 2160 | 1795 | 2977 | 2410 | 1873 | 1666 | 1622 | 1061 | 746 | 754 | 805 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:03PM3.17m | 10:26AM3.02m | 10:47PM3.24m | 11:09AM3.06m | 11:29PM3.22m | 11:50AM3.03m | 00:09AM3.12m | 12:29PM2.93m | 00:46AM2.97m | 1:07PM2.80m | 1:23AM2.78m | 1:45PM2.64m | 2:01AM2.58m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:51PM0.17m | 4:16AM0.12m | 4:36PM0.05m | 5:01AM0.05m | 5:19PM0.03m | 5:44AM0.05m | 5:59PM0.09m | 6:26AM0.12m | 6:39PM0.22m | 7:05AM0.24m | 7:19PM0.40m | 7:44AM0.40m | 8:01PM0.59m | |||||||
— | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | |
5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | |
mm | 8 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 11 |
Feels °C | 8 | 7 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 16 | W 11 | WNW 10 | W 13 | W 11 | WSW 16 | W 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 |
203 | 89 | 167 | 663 | 351 | 644 | 1135 | 702 | 1800 | 2160 | 1795 | 2977 | 2410 | 1873 | 1666 | 1622 | 1061 | 746 | 754 | 805 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 13 | W 16 | W 14 | W 17 | WSW 17 | W 10 | — | W 9 | — | — | WSW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
31 | 177 | 153 | 290 | 596 | 190 | — | 106 | — | — | 306 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | W 20 | WSW 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
1 | 30 | 107 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 3 | NE 3 | NE 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
3 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 101 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 0 | 0 | 135 | 0 | 56 | 119 | 96 | 0 | 0 |
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.











