
Surf Forecasts:
Raglan-Manu Bay surf forecast from 2 Sep 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, W swell with 4,032 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Raglan-Manu Bay this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Raglan-Manu Bay in the next 16 days are 3.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 9PM. 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+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Fri 4th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Raglan-Manu Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ over the next couple of weeks.
First up, things are pretty average to start. There’s a lot of wind messing with the waves, and the scores are low. The best action is a long way off, but when it hits, it’ll be a ripper.
We kick off on Wednesday the 2nd of September with a WSW swell around 7 ft at 14 seconds. The wave energy is strong (1959), but that cross-on wind from the WSW at 12 mph has it choppy. Thursday isn’t much better, with a bit of a clean-up on the wind but still marginal.
Now, Friday the 4th is a write-off. Strong onshore winds and a jumpy, messy 10 ft swell. That’s a skip day. Saturday and Sunday have size, 8 ft to 8 ft, but the wind stays cross to cross-on, so the face is lumpy and choppy. Monday the 7th is pumping hard at 10 ft with huge energy (over 4000), but it’s a washing machine in the wind. This is kite-surfing territory, not paddle.
We go through a few more days of marginal, choppy conditions until we hit the gold.
The standout session is Friday the 11th of September at Raglan-Manu Bay. This is the one. Morning shows a clean 12 ft swell from the WSW at 15 seconds with a cross-offshore breeze from the SSE at 9 mph. The wave energy is massive (9643). That afternoon bumps up to 15 ft with an 18-second period and clean cross-off wind. This is proper groundswell, and at a classic point break like Manu Bay, those long lines will reel off beautifully. This is for experts only, size is big.
Saturday the 12th backs it up nicely. Morning has a glassy, clean 12 ft from the WSW at 17 seconds – offshore vibes with the wind dead calm. That is pure magic, but again, it’s big and powerful, suited to experienced surfers. The water temp is about 57°, which is dead average for this time of year.
Later in the second week, Wednesday the 16th and Thursday the 17th both have some glassy morning windows. The 16th has a clean 8 ft at 17 seconds, and the 17th has a glassy 10 ft at 15 seconds. Those are promising but further out, so less certain.
Overall, the first ten days are a slog with wind and chop. The real story is that huge pulse of clean, long-period WSW groundswell arriving around the 11th and 12th of September. That’s the one to pencil in.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu morning, min 12°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the W on Wed night, fresh winds from the NW by Fri morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Sun night. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the W on Sat night, strong winds from the NNW by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | ||||||||||||||
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 14 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | W 14 | WSW 15 | W 10 | W 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | W 16 | W 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | W 13 | W 12 | W 12 | W 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
1344 | 1088 | 850 | 1505 | 949 | 1858 | 3482 | 3387 | 3387 | 3067 | 3431 | 3630 | 1796 | 3397 | 3524 | 3662 | 2086 | 1249 | 595 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:30AM2.81m | 1:58PM2.70m | 2:20AM2.63m | 2:55PM2.54m | 3:28AM2.45m | 4:16PM2.42m | 4:58AM2.37m | 5:54PM2.44m | 6:25AM2.41m | 7:10PM2.60m | 7:36AM2.55m | 8:09PM2.79m | |||||||
Low Tide | 7:53AM0.44m | 8:21PM0.62m | 8:44AM0.63m | 9:22PM0.79m | 9:48AM0.80m | 10:41PM0.90m | 11:16AM0.88m | 00:11AM0.85m | 12:46PM0.78m | 1:27AM0.67m | 1:54PM0.57m | 2:25AM0.44m | |||||||
— | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | |
— | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:04 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 13 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
Feels °C | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | W 14 | WSW 15 | — | W 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | W 16 | W 16 | WNW 9 | NW 9 | WNW 10 | W 13 | W 12 | W 12 | W 11 |
1344 | 1088 | 850 | 1505 | 949 | — | 3482 | 3387 | 3387 | 3067 | 3431 | 3630 | 1232 | 481 | 402 | 3662 | 2086 | 1249 | 595 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 16 | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 13 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1796 | — | — | — | — | — | 60 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 22 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | W 8 | W 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 535 | 1858 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3397 | 3524 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 238 | 228 | 249 | 179 | 249 | 249 | 109 | 191 | 276 | 56 | 90 | 135 | 249 | 56 | 108 | 56 | 123 | 249 | 56 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Raglan and West Waikato | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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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.










