
Surf Forecasts:
Raglan-Manu Bay surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 15 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 15s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 21 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 17s period, WSW swell with 5,698 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 15 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 15s period with WSW 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 Tuesday (Sep 15) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 15s period. 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 3.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 21) at 9AM. 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+) | 3AM (Tue 15th Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Tue 15th Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Mon 21st Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Raglan-Manu Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s coming down the pipe for Manu Bay. It’s a bit of a mixed bag to be honest, so let’s wade through it.
## Raglan-Manu Bay Outlook
The next week and a half is going to be a bit of a waiting game. There’s always some swell in the water, but the wind is going to be the big factor, and honestly, it’s going to be messy more often than not. We’ve got a solid, long-period groundswell from the WSW filtering in, but it’s going to take a magic window to get it clean.
Now, for the here and now, Monday’s a bit of a write-off with rain showers and a cross-shore breeze chopping things up at around 6ft. Water temp is sitting about average for this time of year at 58°, so you’ll want the rubber.
The first real glimmer of hope comes early Tuesday morning, the 15th. The wind drops right out to glassy, the swell is a clean 6ft with a 14-second period, and there’s decent energy in the water. That’s your best bet for a clean session for the next few days. It’s a proper window before the wind swings around and messes it up again for Wednesday and Thursday.
Then things get real. Friday the 18th the swell pumps up to 10ft, but that’s accompanied by a strong 25 mph cross-offshore wind. It’s going to be big, powerful, and blustery. This is not for the faint-hearted. That groundswell is holding strong into Saturday, but the wind gets even worse, onshore, and junky. For a point break like Manu Bay, this is where it gets interesting for the crew on foil kites, not so much for the paddle crew.
The weekend and early next week stay lumpy and blown out with a strong cross-shore, keeping conditions poor. The swell stays solid at 10ft, but with 15-19 mph winds, it’s a mess.
Hold on, because there's a potential standout lurking in the distance. Wednesday the 23rd is looking like a day to circle. The swell is still a meaty 10ft, but with a cross-offshore breeze in the morning, Manu Bay could be absolutely firing. The energy is strong. It’s a long way out, so we’ll have to see how it plays, but the potential is there for a big, powerful, clean day. Thursday the 24th is still big but dropping off, and the wind is more of a cross-onshore.
After that, there’s a bit of a lull into the 26th and 27th with smaller, 5ft – 6ft surf. The wind isn't great, but it could be surfable. Then the 28th and 29th see a confused mix with a long-period W swell trying to fill in, but short-period energy and wind keep things average. The standouts are clearly Tuesday the 15th for a clean, manageable session, and that big Wednesday the 23rd for the more experienced crew.
Remember, this is all about catching those moments. Keep an eye on the wind.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Mon morning. Very mild (max 13°C on Mon morning, min 10°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 38mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu afternoon, min 9°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Thu night, strong winds from the SW by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 11 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 11 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 9 | WSW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2649 | 2348 | 1776 | 1257 | 1091 | 712 | 434 | 269 | 257 | 582 | 811 | 1325 | 2136 | 4761 | 3669 | 1546 | 3339 | 3854 | 4029 | 2136 | 4209 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | glassy | cross | cross | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 11:58AM2.94m | 00:13AM2.89m | 12:32PM2.83m | 00:47AM2.73m | 1:07PM2.69m | 1:23AM2.55m | 1:46PM2.53m | 2:07AM2.37m | 2:34PM2.36m | 3:06AM2.20m | 3:39PM2.22m | 4:24AM2.10m | 5:05PM2.16m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:09PM0.23m | 6:30AM0.22m | 6:46PM0.40m | 7:06AM0.38m | 7:25PM0.59m | 7:43AM0.57m | 8:09PM0.78m | 8:26AM0.76m | 9:01PM0.95m | 9:19AM0.93m | 10:07PM1.06m | 10:32AM1.03m | 11:29PM1.07m | ||||||||
6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | |
— | 6:08 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:15 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 24 | 4 | — | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 |
Feels °C | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 11 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 11 | — | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | — | — | — | — | WSW 14 |
2649 | 2348 | 1776 | 1257 | 1091 | 712 | 434 | 269 | 257 | 582 | 811 | 1325 | 2136 | — | 3669 | 1546 | — | — | — | — | 4209 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 6 | W 6 | NW 6 | NW 7 | NW 9 | WSW 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 21 | 38 | 82 | 119 | 388 | 1003 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 18 | — | WSW 17 | W 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | 92 | 219 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 16 | — | WSW 10 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 9 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4761 | — | 1042 | 3339 | 3854 | 4029 | 2136 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 56 | 228 | 101 | 0 | 292 | 228 | 228 | 247 | 110 | 228 | 62 | 112 | 108 | 114 | 141 | 247 | 247 | 247 | 289 | 204 | 204 |
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.










