Surf Forecasts:
Ruby Bay surf forecast from 27 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 9s period, N swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 28 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 9s period, N swell with 971 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 28 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 9s period with N swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Ruby Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Ruby Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.2m and 9s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Ruby Bay in the next 16 days are 2.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.5m 9s period and expected on Friday (Aug 28) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Fri 28th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Fri 28th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Fri 28th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Ruby Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with you – the outlook for Ruby Bay over the next 16 days is a tough one. This is a sheltered point break that rarely breaks, and it’s beginner-friendly, but we’re looking at a long stretch of nothing much to get excited about. The water temp is sitting at 53°, which is about 1° below the norm for this time of year, so pretty average.
Right now, starting Thursday morning the 27th of August, we’ve got tiny, glassy conditions with a 1ft northerly swell and a 5-second period. Combined wave energy is weak (17), and it’s just poor surf conditions – not worth paddling out for. That carries through Thursday afternoon, with a 1ft north swell and glassy calm, but it’s still a dud.
Friday the 28th brings a bit more size, but the wind turns nasty. Morning sees a 7ft north swell at 8 seconds (moderate energy at 501), but it’s cross-on with a 25 km/h north wind, making it choppy and messy. That’s too big for beginners and only for the brave. By afternoon, the swell bumps to 8ft from the north (9 seconds, energy 880), but wind is cross-shore from the NNW at 10 km/h, leaving it marginal. Heavy rain too, so it’s a no-go.
Saturday the 29th sees a drop in swell – 2ft north in the morning (8 seconds, energy 65) with light offshore SW winds at 10 km/h, so it’s clean. But the waves are tiny and poor. Same story in the afternoon, 2ft north at 8 seconds (energy 53) with offshore SW winds, clean but flat. Sunday the 30th is even smaller, 1ft north, 9 seconds (energy 14), and then Monday the 31st through the rest of the period is mostly flat, with zero combined energy and only occasional tiny pulses (like a 2ft NE swell on Tuesday 1st September with 3-second period, and a 3ft NNW swell on Friday 4th September with 5-second period, both weak).
There’s literally no standout here. The best on offer is probably Friday afternoon the 28th if you’re an expert and don’t mind messy, cross-shore conditions, but the swell is moderate and the wind kills it. For the rest of the 16 days, it’s a long, blank run – typical for a rarely-breaking spot like this. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d say leave the board at home.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 31mm), heaviest during Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Sat afternoon, min 6°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Wed morning, min 5°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | ||||||||||||||
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) | N 16 | N 4 | N 8 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 9 | N 8 | NNW 4 | NW 15 | NW 15 | NW 4 | NNW 15 | NW 7 | NNW 15 | NW 17 | NW 6 | NNW 6 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 5 | 26 | 482 | 971 | 257 | 65 | 43 | 18 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | on | off | off | cross-off | glassy |
High Tide | 9:56PM3.88m | 10:13AM3.76m | 10:29PM4.06m | 10:51AM3.89m | 11:01PM4.17m | 11:27AM3.97m | 11:34PM4.21m | 12:03PM4.01m | 00:09AM4.17m | 12:37PM3.98m | 00:46AM4.05m | 1:12PM3.90m | 1:27AM3.87m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:34PM1.02m | 3:44AM1.07m | 4:08PM0.81m | 4:17AM0.88m | 4:39PM0.68m | 4:49AM0.73m | 5:10PM0.62m | 5:22AM0.65m | 5:43PM0.63m | 5:56AM0.66m | 6:16PM0.71m | 6:33AM0.77m | 6:54PM0.87m | |||||||
 |  |  |  |  |  |  | | | | | |  |  | | | | | |  | |
 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — |
 | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — |
mm | 1 | 1 | 8 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 10 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 15 | 16 | 11 |
Feels °C | 10 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 14 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 5 | — | — | — | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 9 | NNW 5 | NNW 4 | NW 15 | NW 15 | NW 15 | NNW 5 | NNW 6 | NNW 4 | NNW 4 | NNW 6 | — |
| kJ | 5 | — | — | — | 257 | 65 | 43 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 7 | 54 | 57 | 36 | 8 | 14 | 4 | 8 | 39 | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 19 | — | WNW 4 | NW 16 | NW 7 | NNW 7 | — | NNW 7 | NNW 14 | NNW 15 | NW 17 | NW 16 | — |
| kJ | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | — | 1 | 10 | 18 | 4 | — | 10 | 20 | 22 | 11 | 10 | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | NW 21 | N 21 | — | NW 18 | N 8 | NW 11 | — | — | — | NNW 15 | — | NW 19 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | 8 | — | 12 | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | 21 | — | 14 | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 3 | N 4 | N 8 | N 9 | — | — | SW 3 | SW 3 | WSW 3 | — | — | W 3 | — | NW 4 | — | NW 7 | W 2 | WSW 2 | NW 6 | NNW 6 |
| kJ | 2 | 26 | 482 | 971 | — | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 8 | — | 9 | — | 55 | 1 | 1 | 166 | 96 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 88 | 83 | 83 | 194 | 129 | 0 | 14 | 30 | 83 | 83 | 115 | 83 | 83 | 116 | 21 | 83 | 137 | 83 | 83 | 129 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Nelson - Tasman Bay | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
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 Ruby 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 Ruby Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Ruby Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Ruby Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Ruby 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 (Ruby 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 Ruby 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 Nelson - Tasman Bay? If you are looking for accommodation near Ruby Bay, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Nelson - Tasman Bay, consider staying in Nelson which is 17 km (11 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in Blenheim which is 80 km (50 miles) away
Nearest