Surf Forecasts:
Tauranga Bay surf forecast from 10 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 12 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 13s period, NE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 11 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 13s period, NE swell with 87 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 12 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 13s period with NE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Tauranga Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Tauranga Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 12) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Tauranga Bay in the next 16 days are 0.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 11) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Friday (Sep 11) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Fri 11th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tauranga Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve been staring at the charts for Tauranga Bay, and I gotta be straight with you—it’s a tough run. We’ve got a full 16-day window, but the truth is, there’s not a single standout session in the lot. The wave energy is weak across the board, with combined swell energy readings barely cracking triple digits, mostly sitting in the 20s, 30s, and 40s (102 on the 11th morning is the highest, but that’s still only moderate energy and it comes with poor conditions). This is one of those periods where you’re better off leaving the board in the garage.
The first few days are a write-off. Friday the 11th through to Monday the 14th: we’re looking at tiny 1ft to 1ft of swell from the NNE or NE, with a very long period of 12–15 seconds. That long-period groundswell sounds nice in theory, but at a beach break like this, it’ll break too straight and fat. Winds are mostly cross-off from the SSW or SW, which keeps the surface clean, but there’s just no power. Water temp is sitting at 61°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
Tuesday the 15th through the end of the first week is more of the same—1ft to 1ft, still from the NE, with periods dropping to 12 seconds. The wind switches around a bit, with some glassy conditions Monday afternoon (the 14th) and a light breeze Tuesday morning, but the waves are just too small to bother with. The combined energy drops into the 30s and 40s, which is weak.
The second week is even quieter. From the 18th onward, swell heights drop to 0.3ft to 0.7ft, with energy readings falling to single digits and teens. There’s a brief pulse of 3ft windswell from the NW on the 21st and again on the 23rd, but the period is a short 5–6 seconds, and winds are cross-off or cross, keeping things messy. That’s not surf, that’s a washing machine.
Honestly, there’s no good option here. Tauranga Bay is consistent, but it’s not delivering a single session worth paddling out for in this 16-day stretch. Sometimes you get a blank run, and this is one of them. Keep an eye on the charts—forecasts can change.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat morning, min 9°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Fri morning, light winds from the WSW by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Wed night. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 10°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NNE 15 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 11 | NE 13 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 42 | 62 | 85 | 45 | 43 | 41 | 42 | 40 | 39 | 39 | 37 | 23 | 38 | 21 | 20 | 26 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 21 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 8:12PM2.61m | 8:37AM2.51m | 8:58PM2.63m | 9:24AM2.56m | 9:41PM2.61m | 10:09AM2.57m | 10:23PM2.56m | 10:51AM2.55m | 11:03PM2.49m | 11:31AM2.49m | 11:42PM2.40m | 12:11PM2.40m | 00:22AM2.31m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:48PM0.38m | 2:19AM0.42m | 2:34PM0.37m | 3:04AM0.38m | 3:19PM0.40m | 3:47AM0.39m | 4:02PM0.48m | 4:28AM0.44m | 4:45PM0.58m | 5:09AM0.53m | 5:28PM0.70m | 5:50AM0.64m | 6:11PM0.82m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | |  |  |  |  | |
 | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — |
 | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 14 | 8 |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 12 |
Feels °C | 8 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 9 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 11 | NE 13 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NNW 5 | NNW 5 | NE 12 |
| kJ | 33 | 62 | 85 | 45 | 43 | 41 | 42 | 40 | 39 | 39 | 37 | 23 | 38 | 21 | 20 | 26 | 23 | 23 | 10 | 9 | 21 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 13 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | ENE 13 | NE 10 | E 8 | E 8 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NNW 5 |
| kJ | 27 | 35 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 22 | 3 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 15 | SE 6 | NW 19 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | NW 17 | N 14 | N 14 | N 14 | N 13 | N 13 | N 12 | N 12 | NE 13 | E 8 | E 8 | N 11 | N 11 | E 9 | SE 5 | N 6 |
| kJ | 42 | 2 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 4 | SSW 4 | SW 3 | SW 3 | SW 3 | SSW 2 | — | SSW 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 3 | NW 4 | SSE 3 | — | S 3 |
| kJ | 12 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 24 | 4 | — | 8 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 33 | 33 | 3 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 65 | 10 | 65 | 10 | 10 | 518 | 112 | 112 | 65 | 466 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Northland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Tauranga Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Tauranga Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Tauranga Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Tauranga 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 (Tauranga 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 Tauranga 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 Northland? If you are looking for accommodation near Tauranga Bay, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Northland, consider staying in Houhora which is 71 km (44 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in Whangarei which is 93 km (58 miles) away
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