
Surf Forecasts:
Tauranga Bay surf forecast from 5 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 7 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 8s period, N swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 7 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period, NNW swell with 936 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 7 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 8s period with N 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 Tuesday (Jul 07) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Tauranga Bay in the next 16 days are 2.5m 8s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 07) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 08) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Tue 7th Jul) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 3PM (Tue 7th Jul) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Tue 7th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tauranga Bay over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Alright, Rusty here, let's take a look at what’s cooking for our little corner of the coast. It's looking like a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks, so you'll want to pick your moments carefully. We’ve got a run of very small, ordinary surf for a long stretch, but there's a couple of genuine windows that could be worth your time.
The first real glimmer of hope comes on Tuesday, July 7th. Tuesday morning is a write-off with a stormy 8ft north swell and strong onshore wind, but keep your eyes on Tuesday afternoon. The swell drops to a clean 7ft from the north with a period of 8 seconds. What makes this the standout is the wind swinging south at just 3 mph, going offshore. That’s going to be clean. The combined energy is moderate (658), so there’s some push. For the experienced guys, this might be the best on offer—just be aware that at 7ft it's pushing into expert territory, and the period is short, so it might be a bit crumbly at times. Crowds are rare here, which is always a bonus.
After that, things go quiet for a long stretch. From July 8th all the way through to July 15th, we’re in the doldrums. The swell drops to between 1ft and 3ft, mostly from the east-southeast with a period around 10-11 seconds. The wind is often offshore or glassy, which is a major positive for cleanliness, but the wave energy is weak (readings between 87 and 217). You can paddle out for a few small, clean rollers, but it’s very ordinary. If you’re a beginner, this might be your best bet for a safe, easy session, but it’s not going to get the heart pumping.
Then, hold onto your board, because Thursday, July 16th rolls in with a big, messy pulse. The combined energy during the morning hits a massive 2853, that’s very strong energy. The swell is 12ft from the north-northwest, but the wind is a howling 22 mph from the northeast, making it cross-onshore and lumpy. It’s a write-off for paddle surfing—this is full-on, heavy, and messy. Honestly, with that wind and size at a beach setup, this looks more interesting for kite surfing than a traditional paddle session. The rest of the week into the 19th keeps showing poor surf conditions with strong onshore winds and dropping swell. Avoid it.
So, to sum it up: the one true standout is Tuesday afternoon, July 7th for the clean, offshore conditions on a solid north swell. The long, flat spell from the 8th to the 15th is a real gap. Don't bother with the big, wind-affected junk after the 16th unless you’re flying a kite.
Stay safe out there.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 42mm), heaviest during Sun night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun afternoon, min 12°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WNW on Sun night, light winds from the S by Tue afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri morning, min 10°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sun 5 | Monday 6 | Tuesday 7 | Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 11 | NNW 6 | NW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 8 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | E 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
326 | 280 | 318 | 352 | 843 | 888 | 567 | 149 | 119 | 156 | 147 | 139 | 131 | 131 | 210 | 201 | 166 | 135 | 107 | 114 | 126 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | on | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | glassy | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:54PM2.35m | 12:09PM2.21m | 00:39AM2.35m | 12:55PM2.22m | 1:26AM2.34m | 1:47PM2.22m | 2:16AM2.34m | 2:46PM2.25m | 3:10AM2.35m | 3:52PM2.29m | 4:08AM2.36m | 4:57PM2.37m | 5:11AM2.38m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:21PM0.67m | 5:59AM0.69m | 6:05PM0.72m | 6:43AM0.69m | 6:52PM0.77m | 7:32AM0.70m | 7:46PM0.82m | 8:26AM0.69m | 8:47PM0.85m | 9:23AM0.66m | 9:53PM0.85m | 10:24AM0.61m | 11:00PM0.80m | 11:26AM0.54m | |||||||
— | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | |
5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | 5:29 | |
mm | — | 16 | — | 3 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 12 |
Feels °C | 13 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 10 | N 8 | N 8 | E 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 |
326 | 212 | 138 | 102 | 108 | 73 | 567 | 149 | 119 | 156 | 147 | 139 | 131 | 131 | 210 | 201 | 166 | 135 | 107 | 114 | 126 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NW 13 | — | N 12 | E 10 | E 10 | N 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 9 | NW 8 | NW 7 | NW 6 | NW 13 | N 13 | N 13 | N 12 | N 12 | N 12 | N 11 |
— | — | — | 27 | — | 41 | 78 | 74 | 28 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | NW 17 | NW 18 | N 11 | — | NE 8 | NW 8 | — | N 9 | W 21 | — | — | NE 9 | N 12 | N 10 | W 18 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | 46 | 13 | 10 | — | 3 | 9 | — | 2 | 9 | — | — | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 8 | N 9 | — | S 3 | S 4 | SSW 4 | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | — | — | S 3 | S 3 | S 3 | S 3 | — | — | — |
30 | 280 | 318 | 352 | 843 | 888 | — | 7 | 18 | 11 | 7 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 5 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 32 | 451 | 112 | 94 | 216 | 73 | 0 | 33 | 15 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Northland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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











