Surf Forecasts:
Raglan-Manu Bay surf forecast from 26 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, 12PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, WSW swell with 5,068 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 3.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 12PM. 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 | 12PM (Mon 31st Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Raglan-Manu Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Right, let’s have a yarn about what’s shaping up for Raglan-Manu Bay over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, with some solid groundswell on the way, but the wind is going to be a real pain for most of it. The water temperature is sitting at 57°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The first real window of opportunity looks like Saturday morning, 29 August. Now, don’t get too excited, but it’s the only real morning in the first week that’s worth a look. We’ve got a 4ft swell rolling in from the WSW, with a period of 11 seconds. The real kicker here is the wind – it’s glassy, dead flat. That’s always a massive positive because it’ll be pure, clean glass. The combined energy is moderate (578). It’s not a big day, but for a quiet paddle on a clean face, it’s your best bet. The crowds can be a thing here sometimes, so if you’re after a solo session, get in early.
After that, Sunday the 30th turns ugly. The wind cranks up to 19 mph from the W, and the swell jumps to 8ft from the same direction, but it’s a messy, lumpy cross-onshore. The combined energy jumps to strong (3354). That’s a big, raw ocean, but it’s not for surfing. For kite surfers though, that’s proper juice.
Monday the 31st of August and Tuesday the 1st of September see a massive 13ft and 10ft swell from the WSW, with periods around 14 seconds. The energy is very strong (5411, 5224, 3879). But the wind is a fresh cross-shore, so it’s lumpy, messy, and only for very experienced, strong paddlers. The wave quality is poor for a point break when it’s that fat and choppy. We’re looking at over 8ft, so it’s expert-only territory.
There’s a big gap of poor conditions through the first week of September. The wind stays strong, often over 19 mph, and the swell is either too big or too messy. It’s a real dry spell until Thursday the 10th of September.
Now, mark your calendar for Thursday morning, 10 September. This is the standout. We’ve got a 7ft swell from the WSW, with a period of 13 seconds – that’s a proper long-period groundswell. The energy is moderate (1398). But the wind is glassy again, from the NNE at only 3 mph. That’s a game-changer. For a point break like Manu Bay, a long-period swell like that can really line up, offering long, clean walls. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The crowds are a factor here though, as it’s a famous spot, and with that wind and swell, it’ll be busy. If you can get out there, this is the one.
The afternoon of the 10th gets messy with an onshore wind, so don’t sleep in.
So, the short version: Saturday 29th morning for a clean, small day, and Thursday 10th September morning for the proper, clean, groundswell session. The rest is blown out, too big, or both. Stay patient, and that Thursday morning will be worth the wait.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Sat morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Fri afternoon, min 11°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Tue morning, min 11°C on Sat afternoon). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSW on Sat afternoon, fresh winds from the WSW by Sun night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | ||||||||||||||
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 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 10 | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
1517 | 1059 | 841 | 721 | 598 | 585 | 485 | 497 | 249 | 689 | 544 | 1175 | 1131 | 2418 | 5005 | 4988 | 4618 | 3826 | 2951 | 2425 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 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 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | |
5:53 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 7 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | NW 8 | WSW 12 | W 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 14 |
1517 | 1059 | 841 | 721 | 598 | 585 | 485 | 497 | 143 | 689 | 188 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2425 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WNW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 22 |
— | — | — | 92 | 86 | 121 | 213 | 181 | 249 | 76 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 24 | W 22 | W 11 | W 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 10 | 143 | 76 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 10 | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 544 | 1175 | 1131 | 2418 | 5005 | 4988 | 4618 | 3826 | 2951 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 249 | 228 | 9 | 90 | 9 | 249 | 62 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 109 | 109 | 179 | 135 | 122 | 129 | 112 | 112 | 110 | 140 |
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.











