Tauranga Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Imperial Units

Righto folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Tauranga Bay has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

Alright, so the overall pattern for Tauranga Bay is a bit of a slow starter, a couple of decent windows, and then a whole lot of messy, blown-out stuff. The water's sitting at 61°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real chance to get wet comes in on Monday the 10th. The overnight table is set for clean waves. We've got a 5ft swell from the north with an 8-second period and a light offshore breeze (6 mph) from the SSE. The combined wave energy is moderate at 314. Monday morning looks like your best bet for a fun, tidy session. The swell direction is a touch north, which isn't the absolute optimum but with that offshore wind cleaning things up, it'll be far better than anything else on offer. Watch for crowds as they can be an issue here.

Tuesday the 11th morning is another window that's worth a look. Similar size, 5ft from the NNE, the period edges up to 9 seconds which gives it a bit more shape. The wind is a cross-offshore from the ESE at 9 mph, so it'll be clean with a bit of push. The energy is still moderate at 328. It's a decent option, but Monday morning is the pick of the early week.

After that, it all turns a bit ordinary. From Tuesday afternoon right through until late in the month, the wind swings onshore or gets too strong, the swell drops off, or the quality just isn't there. There's a massive gap in the quality.

Now, jumping ahead over a week to Friday the 21st of August, the models are showing a bit of promise. We've got a solid jump in size with a 6ft swell from the east, a short 7-second period, and a clean cross-offshore breeze (9 mph) from the SSE. The energy is moderate to strong at 338. The period is short, so it'll be a bit weaker and steeper. This is a standout for the second week, but it's a long way out, so keep an eye on it.

Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd get messy with strong cross-shore winds and a big jump in size that will be too much for a clean wave here. By Monday the 24th of August, the swell is predicted to be a massive 16ft from the NE with a long 11-second period. The combined energy is a whopping 6498, indicating very strong wave energy. The wind is onshore at first but then goes light and variable. Honestly, for a spot as exposed as Tauranga Bay, that much swell under any conditions is going to be a washing machine. The numbers say it's too big for this break, and I'd be saying it's strictly for experts, if anyone, and even then, it's a big risk. The beach setup might make it more interesting for the kite surfers than the paddle crew that day.

Stay safe out there.
Rusty.

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