Surf Forecasts:
Raglan-Manu Bay surf forecast from 25 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 13s period, WSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 31 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 14s period, WSW swell with 6,896 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 13s 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 Thursday (Aug 27) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 17s. 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 4.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) 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+) | 6PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Mon 31st Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Raglan-Manu Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for Raglan-Manu Bay.
We’ve got a bit of a slow start to this outlook, with the first few days offering some waves, but nothing to get too fired up about. The real action, the kind that gets the heart pumping, is a fair way off. The pattern looks like it’ll build into some serious size and energy by the end of the month, but we’ve got to be patient.
The water temp here is about what you’d expect for this time of year, nothing unusual.
Right now, on the 26th of August, we’ve got a 6ft WSW swell pushing in, but the wind is a cross-onshore breeze. It’s not pretty. That carries into the afternoon with more of the same, a bit stronger wind. It’s a pass.
Thursday the 27th is a step up. The morning is looking glassy, with a light NNE breeze, and the swell is a clean 5ft from the WSW with a solid 13-second period. It’s got moderate energy (841) and that glassy surface will make for some tidy waves. The afternoon sees the wind swing offshore, but the quality drops off a tick.
Friday the 28th is a write-off with a strong cross-onshore wind and a short-period, choppy 5ft swell. Not worth your time.
Saturday the 29th redeems things. The morning is glassy again, with a smaller 4ft WSW swell, but that 13-second period and no wind will make it fun on the longboard. The afternoon gets a clean, cross-offshore breeze with a better 6ft swell – that’s a solid afternoon session.
Now, the 30th of August is a day to stay out of the water. The swell jumps to 8ft and then 10ft, but it’s accompanied by howling onshore wind. That’s messy and blown-out.
The standout, and I mean the absolute highlight of this entire outlook, is Monday the 31st of August. The morning session is for the hardcore crew only. We’ve got a massive 16ft WSW groundswell rolling in, with a 15-second period. The combined energy is off the charts at 9947. And get this – the wind is a light cross-offshore breeze from the south. That’s an exceptional, clean, big-wave day at the Point. This is not for beginners; this is expert territory. The afternoon wind picks up and gets messy, so the early bird gets the wave.
Tuesday the 1st of September is still big, with an 12ft swell, but the wind is a cross-shore chop, making it a tough paddle. Still big, but not as clean.
We go through a patch of messy, onshore wind from the 2nd through the 4th of September, with some size but poor conditions.
The 5th of September is a bit of a nothing day, with a small, weak 4ft swell.
The second real standout comes on Sunday the 6th of September. The morning session looks magic. A solid 8ft W groundswell with a very long 16-second period, and it’s glassy. The energy is strong at 3772. That’s going to produce some long, racy, beautiful lines at Manu Bay. It’s still a solid size for experienced surfers, but that glassy surface makes it world-class.
After that, the swell hangs around in the 7ft range through to the 10th, but the winds become a bit more mixed, offering some clean windows but also some cross-onshore chop. The morning of the 10th of September shows some promise with a clean 8ft W swell and a cross-offshore breeze.
So, to wrap it up: If you’re an experienced surfer, you live for the 31st of August morning session. For the rest of us, the 6th of September morning is the one to circle. The rest of the period is a mixed bag of average to poor conditions. Keep an eye on that forecast, because when it’s on, it’s on.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Fri night. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 11°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Sat afternoon). Winds increasing (light winds from the SW on Sat morning, fresh winds from the WSW by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | |||||||||||||||
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 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WSW 12 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 17 | WSW 12 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1496 | 1517 | 1059 | 878 | 721 | 519 | 361 | 612 | 734 | 181 | 767 | 482 | 516 | 3568 | 5747 | 6896 | 5410 | 5127 | 3803 | 2636 | 2076 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 9:06AM2.54m | 9:21PM2.75m | 9:43AM2.69m | 9:57PM2.89m | 10:18AM2.81m | 10:30PM3.00m | 10:52AM2.91m | 11:04PM3.07m | 11:25AM2.96m | 11:37PM3.09m | 11:59AM2.97m | 00:12AM3.05m | 12:34PM2.93m | 00:48AM2.95m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:16PM0.49m | 3:35AM0.45m | 3:51PM0.34m | 4:10AM0.30m | 4:25PM0.21m | 4:44AM0.19m | 4:58PM0.14m | 5:18AM0.12m | 5:32PM0.12m | 5:54AM0.11m | 6:09PM0.17m | 6:31AM0.17m | 6:47PM0.28m | ||||||||
6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | |
— | 5:53 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 4 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
Feels °C | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WSW 12 | WSW 10 | W 18 | — | — | WSW 14 | — | — | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 |
1496 | 1517 | 1059 | 878 | 721 | 519 | 361 | 612 | 734 | 179 | 767 | 482 | 307 | — | — | 6896 | — | — | 3803 | 2636 | 2076 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 11 | NW 8 | W 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 96 | 86 | 233 | 213 | 178 | 150 | 65 | 188 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 24 | W 22 | WSW 13 | W 21 | NW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 10 | 181 | 76 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 9 | WSW 17 | WSW 12 | — | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 516 | 3568 | 5747 | — | 5410 | 5127 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 228 | 249 | 228 | 9 | 109 | 9 | 249 | 62 | 135 | 4 | 0 | 108 | 108 | 108 | 112 | 119 | 112 | 170 | 96 | 179 | 120 |
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.











