
Surf Forecasts:
Banks Peninsula - Raupo Bay surf forecast from 7 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 8 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 11s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 8 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 11s period, E swell with 1,338 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 8 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 10s period with ENE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Banks Peninsula - Raupo Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Banks Peninsula - Raupo Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 08) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.2m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Banks Peninsula - Raupo Bay in the next 16 days are 2.4m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 08) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 08) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Wed 8th Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Wed 8th Jul) | 8ft (2.4m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Wed 8th Jul) | 8ft (2.4m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Banks Peninsula - Raupo Bay over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Alright, Rusty here. Let me break down what we’ve got for Banks Peninsula over the next couple of weeks.
First up, we’re looking at a pretty drawn-out stretch. The surf is going to be around, but finding a truly clean, user-friendly window is going to take some patience. The water temp is sitting at 52°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – not a bad little bonus for the early morning sessions.
The story starts on Tuesday, July 7th. Raupo-Bay is seeing a 7 ft ENE swell with a short 9-second period. The combined energy is strong, at 1313, but the cross-off wind from the SSE makes it a bit of a wrestle. The conditions are described as clean, but the forecast isn’t enthusiastic, so it’s one for the keeners who don't mind a bit of chop.
Wednesday and Thursday keep a similar pattern. The swell hangs around 7 ft to 8 ft, shifting east, with periods at 10-11 seconds. The wind stays cross-off from the SSE or SSW, keeping the surface clean enough, but the energy is high (peaking at 1859 on Thursday afternoon). It’s rideable for the experienced crew, but the average punter might find it a bit bumpy and full.
Now, here's the standout. Friday, July 10th, is your call. Both the morning and afternoon sessions are looking solid. The swell drops slightly to 6 ft from the east, with a 10-11 second period. The wind goes offshore from the WSW and SW – that’s a clean sweep. The combined energy is moderate (1060-1304), but the "offshore and clean" call is music to my ears. Crowds are sometimes around, but with that quality, a few heads in the water is the price you pay.
Saturday morning, July 11th, is a real gem for the quiet surfers. We get a glassy, dead-calm morning with a 4 ft south swell. The period is a very long 16 seconds – that’s pure groundswell energy. The combined energy is 1115, which is significant, but this long-period swell will be lining up best at the points and reefs rather than the beachies, which can break a bit too fast and straight. It’s a morning for the log or a single fin, with perfect clean conditions. Glassy winds and 16 seconds is a gift, but the size is small.
After that, we hit a rough patch. From Saturday afternoon through to Tuesday, July 14th, the wind turns onshore or cross-onshore, with choppy conditions and small, weak swell. The energy drops to the 200-400 range, and the period is short. This is a 3-4 day lull of poor quality.
Things start looking up again on Wednesday, July 15th, but it’s not a full recovery. Thursday, July 16th, is a return to good form: a 5 ft ESE swell with a 14-second period. The wind goes cross-offshore and then light offshore from the SW. This is clean, good-energy surf. The combined energy sits at 1278, so the ocean has some push.
Friday, July 17th, is the big boy on the horizon. The swell jumps to 10 ft in the morning and 13 ft in the afternoon from the SSW. The period is 8-10 seconds. The wind is fresh offshore from the SSW/SW at 19 mph. This is a serious set-up. The forecast notes the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. Anything over 8 ft is expert territory, and at 13 ft with that energy (3020), this is strictly for the heavy-water crew. Only the top-tier locals should be looking at this. It’s a spectacular show, but not a paddle-out for the faint of heart.
Saturday, July 18th, stays large and clean, with 12 ft swells and strong offshore wind. Again, expert-only territory. The energy is very strong (3476).
By Sunday, July 19th, the swell drops to 8 ft from the south, with a 10-second period. The wind is gentle offshore from the WSW. This brings excellent conditions for experienced surfers, with the combined energy at 1891. It's the pick of that second week for anyone with a bit of skill.
The final days from Monday, July 21st, fade out into onshore winds and small, weak swell, closing the 16-day window on a flat note.
Best bet overall? That Friday, July 10th window is the most user-friendly, clean, and consistent. For the pure, glassy, classic session, Saturday morning July 11th is the quiet winner. And for the thrill-seekers who know what they’re doing, Friday July 17th and Saturday July 18th are the heavy days to watch.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 10°C on Tue afternoon, min 5°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 12°C on Mon morning, min 6°C on Fri afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tue 7 | Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 10 | S 16 | S 16 | S 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 7 | NNE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
750 | 924 | 984 | 1338 | 1035 | 996 | 900 | 918 | 630 | 727 | 512 | 790 | 589 | 423 | 286 | 142 | 151 | 128 | 137 | 315 | 527 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | glassy | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 10:02PM1.75m | 10:31AM1.73m | 10:53PM1.76m | 11:26AM1.81m | 11:48PM1.79m | 12:23PM1.91m | 00:46AM1.85m | 1:21PM2.01m | 1:43AM1.91m | 2:18PM2.12m | 2:40AM1.98m | 3:15PM2.20m | 3:37AM2.04m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:21AM0.36m | 4:44PM0.38m | 5:10AM0.31m | 5:39PM0.35m | 6:02AM0.26m | 6:36PM0.30m | 6:57AM0.19m | 7:35PM0.24m | 7:54AM0.11m | 8:34PM0.17m | 8:52AM0.04m | 9:33PM0.11m | 9:50AM-0.02m | ||||||||
— | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:56 | |
5:04 | — | — | 5:05 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:08 | — | 5:08 | |
mm | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 |
Feels °C | 6 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | S 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 10 | S 10 | SSW 13 | ESE 9 | NNE 8 |
750 | 924 | 984 | 1338 | 1035 | 996 | 900 | 918 | 630 | 727 | 512 | 325 | 288 | 423 | 286 | 142 | 106 | 47 | 99 | 8 | 372 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSE 7 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 19 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | S 16 | S 16 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | SSW 14 | ESE 9 |
163 | 113 | 123 | 123 | 198 | 356 | 123 | 345 | 237 | 138 | 346 | 790 | 589 | 188 | 117 | 83 | 47 | 25 | 18 | 19 | 8 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 13 | S 19 | SSW 18 | — | S 22 | — | S 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | S 19 | — | — | — | — | SSW 15 | E 9 | SSW 13 | — | S 8 | SW 13 |
— | 198 | 29 | 61 | — | 9 | — | 217 | 193 | 188 | 192 | — | — | — | — | 43 | 6 | 35 | — | 1 | 7 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | — | SE 6 | SSE 5 | S 6 | S 7 | SSW 13 | — | — | SSW 10 | — | — | — | NNE 2 | NNE 4 | NE 5 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 7 | NNE 8 |
400 | — | 56 | 61 | 267 | 286 | 836 | — | — | 251 | — | — | — | 1 | 32 | 55 | 151 | 128 | 137 | 315 | 527 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 23 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 201 | 25 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 30 | 30 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 161 | 11 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Canterbury | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Banks Peninsula - Raupo Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Banks Peninsula - Raupo Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Banks Peninsula - Raupo Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Banks Peninsula - Raupo 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 (Banks Peninsula - Raupo 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 Banks Peninsula - Raupo 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Canterbury? If you are looking for accommodation near Banks Peninsula - Raupo Bay, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Canterbury, consider staying in Christchurch which is 31 km (19 miles) away.











