Raglan-Manu Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 37.82° S 174.83° E

Raglan-Manu Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 pm 18 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Raglan-Manu Bay sea temperature is
14.1° C
0.2° 

Raglan-Manu Bay surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Raglan-Manu Bay surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 16s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, WSW swell with 4,151 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 16s 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 Wednesday (Aug 19) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 16s 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 16s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6PM (Wed 19th Aug)6ft (1.8m) 16s
Best Surf 6PM (Wed 19th Aug)6ft (1.8m) 16s
Most Powerful12PM (Mon 24th Aug)10ft (3.0m) 16s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Raglan-Manu Bay over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into what’s coming up for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a slow start. The surf kicks off on Tuesday the 18th, but honestly, it’s just not happening yet. The water temp is sitting at 57°F, which is about average for this time of year. We’re looking at a few days of so-so conditions with cross-off and cross-onshore winds messing with things. The swell is there, but it’s not clean. The energy is moderate (889) on Tuesday, bumping up through Wednesday, but the wind just isn’t playing ball.

The first real standout I’m getting excited about is Thursday morning, the 20th, at Manu Bay. It’s not the biggest swell—about 5ft from the WSW—but the wind is glassy, and that’s a massive positive. The swell period is a solid 14 seconds, so you’ll get some nice, lined-up waves. The energy is moderate (956) and it’s going to be clean. This is a great window for anyone who wants to get out without the crowd or the hassle. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.

The pattern gets a bit sloppy from Friday the 21st through the weekend. Onshore winds and rain showers make a mess of things. By Saturday the 22nd, the swell drops to 3ft with onshore wind, and Sunday the 23rd gets a bit chunkier at 7ft, but it’s choppy and cross-onshore. Not recommended.

Now, hold on to your board, because the real fireworks start on Monday the 24th. We’ve got a 10ft swell from the WSW, with a period of 16 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, and at Manu Bay, a point break, it’s going to unload beautifully. The energy is very strong (3882), but it’s a cross-onshore wind, so it’s not perfect. Still, this is big, powerful surf. Swell this size is for experienced surfers only—if you’re a beginner, stay on the beach for this one.

The next true standout, and I mean the best on offer in the whole outlook, is Monday the 31st of August. The morning is looking exceptional. A massive 18ft swell from the west, with a period of 16 seconds and a cross-offshore breeze. The energy is through the roof (14587). This is for expert surfers only, and it’s going to be a session to remember. The wind is light and clean, and Manu Bay will be handling that power like a dream. If you’re in the water that day, you’re a lucky surfer.

Following that, Tuesday morning the 1st of September still has a solid 10ft swell with a clean cross-off wind, but it’s a step down in size. Still excellent for experienced surfers. Then, Wednesday morning the 2nd of September serves up a 7ft swell with glassy conditions again. That’s a beautiful window for a session if you want something a bit more manageable.

So, the bottom line: the first week is a bit of a washout with a few good windows, but the second week is where the magic is. The absolute standout is Monday the 31st of August, but keep an eye on Thursday the 20th and Wednesday the 2nd of September for cleaner, more accessible waves.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Tue afternoon, min 7°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 14°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Fri night). Mainly fresh winds.

Tue
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
3
2
3
4
3
2
2
2
0
0
2
0
0
0
1
1
3
3
4
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
WSW
14
1.8
WSW
13
1.7
WSW
13
1.8
WSW
16
1.7
WSW
15
1.5
WSW
14
1.4
WSW
14
1.3
WSW
14
1.2
WSW
14
1.2
WSW
16
1.1
WSW
14
0.8
WSW
14
1.5
W
7
2
WNW
8
2.1
W
8
2.1
W
9
2.2
WSW
10
3
WSW
16
3
WSW
16
2.3
WSW
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
889
1086
928
1718
1364
956
778
622
490
654
472
229
196
426
545
726
878
3882
3736
2228
Wind (km/h)
25
SSW
15
S
20
S
20
SSW
5
E
5
E
15
SW
10
SSW
10
W
15
W
15
WNW
10
WNW
25
WNW
30
NW
25
W
20
WSW
20
SW
15
W
15
WSW
0
NW
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
High Tide
2:01AM2.58m
2:26PM2.48m
2:46AM2.39m
3:16PM2.32m
3:46AM2.22m
4:25PM2.21m
5:05AM2.13m
5:56PM2.19m
6:26AM2.15m
7:08PM2.28m
7:31AM2.25m
8:00PM2.43m
Low Tide
8:01PM0.59m
8:23AM0.58m
8:46PM0.79m
9:06AM0.76m
9:40PM0.96m
10:01AM0.92m
10:49PM1.07m
11:19AM1.01m
00:17AM1.08m
12:46PM0.98m
1:29AM0.97m
1:49PM0.84m
2:19AM0.80m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:01
6:58
6:58
6:56
6:54
6:54
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:46
5:47
5:49
5:49
5:50
5:51
5:52
 mm
2
1
2
8
2
1
Temp °C
13
10
10
12
9
11
12
12
13
14
13
14
13
14
14
14
13
14
14
12
Feels °C
7
5
4
6
5
8
9
9
10
10
10
10
8
9
10
10
9
11
11
11
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Raglan-Manu Bay:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Raglan-Manu Bay surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


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.

Nearest locationNearest