
Surf Forecasts:
Tauranga Bay surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 8 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period, NW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period, NW swell with 681 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 6s period with NW 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 05) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 10s. 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 2.5m 8s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Friday (Sep 11) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Sat 5th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tauranga Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, mate, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Tauranga Bay.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are lookin’ pretty grim for a proper paddle. This ain’t one of those times where you’re gonna be spoilt for choice. The swell is small and the wind is mostly in the wrong quarter. You’ll be waitin’ a while for anything decent.
We start off on Friday, September 4th. It’s a no-go. The swell is a weak 3 ft from the NW, period is a short 5 seconds, and the wind is a cross-onshore at 16 mph. The wave energy is barely there (62), and it’s just choppy and messy. The afternoon gets a bit bigger to 4 ft, but that wind picks up to 19 mph, making it lumpy. Not worth the wetsuit.
Saturday the 5th is a bit of a tease. The morning goes glassy with a light offshore from the SW at 3 mph, and the swell is a tiny 1 ft from the NE. It’s clear and clean, but there’s just no push. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so you won’t freeze, but you’ll be starvin’ for a wave. The afternoon sees the wind swing back onshore, killin’ any chance.
Sunday the 6th is more of the same – small, weak, and cross-onshore. The swell energy is only 36-42. It’s flat.
Now, Monday the 7th looks a bit more interesting, but not for the right reasons. The swell jumps up to 6 ft from the NNW, and the energy ramps up to 427. That’s a significant jump in power. But the wind is fresh cross-onshore at 19 mph, and it’s likely to be a lumpy, choppy mess. The period is a short 8 seconds, so it’s not gonna be well-shaped. It’s lookin’ more like a kite session than a surf session, to be honest.
Tuesday the 8th is the first time we see a glimmer of hope. The morning swell drops to 3 ft from the NNW, but the wind turns cross-offshore from the SW at 9 mph. The wave energy is low (95), but the conditions are clean. It’s rated as “surfable but very ordinary” – and that’s about the best we get. The afternoon goes fully offshore, but the swell drops to 2 ft.
From the 9th to the 15th of September, it’s a long, flat stretch. The swell stays tiny, mostly 1 ft to 1 ft from the NE. The wind is often cross-offshore or clean, but with no size or power, it’s just a lake. The wave energy is in the 40-80 range. You’re better off doin’ something else.
There is a blip on Wednesday the 16th. The morning shows a 6 ft swell from the NW with a short 7-second period and energy of 359. The wind is cross-shore at 9 mph. This is the biggest swell of the whole period, but it’s a short-period windswell, and the conditions are only “marginal.” The afternoon drops off again.
The last chance is on Friday the 18th. The afternoon picks up a 6 ft swell from the NNW with a 6-second period, with an energy of 283. But again, the wind is cross-onshore and choppy. Not a great way to end the run.
So, what’s the best on offer? Honestly, if you’re desperate, the cleanest window is Tuesday morning the 8th. It’s not big, but the cross-offshore wind will make the 3 ft surf smooth. The other standout is Wednesday the 16th morning for the biggest swell, but it’s not clean. If you’re a beginner, even the 6 ft on Monday the 7th is too big for you, and the 6 ft on the 16th is also on the bigger side. For experts, the 6 ft to 6 ft days are the only ones with any grunt, but the wind is cruel.
Look, it’s a tough run. The forecast can change, but as it stands, you’re lookin’ at a lot of small days and a couple of messy ones. Keep your eye on the 8th morning for a clean, small session, and the 16th morning if you just want to get wet in something with a bit of power.
Stay tuned, and keep your fingers crossed for a change.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 17°C on Fri morning, min 11°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Sat night, fresh winds from the NNW by Sun night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Mon morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon afternoon, min 10°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NW on Mon morning, calm by Wed morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NE 10 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NE 10 | NE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | NNW 5 | NW 8 | NNW 8 | NW 8 | NNW 7 | NW 8 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NE 15 | NE 16 | NE 14 | NE 14 | NE 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
30 | 60 | 34 | 24 | 29 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 69 | 681 | 322 | 321 | 78 | 38 | 24 | 12 | 36 | 39 | 30 | 54 | 32 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:10PM2.42m | 1:33AM2.38m | 2:09PM2.36m | 2:31AM2.31m | 3:17PM2.33m | 3:36AM2.27m | 4:25PM2.34m | 4:46AM2.27m | 5:30PM2.40m | 5:54AM2.31m | 6:29PM2.48m | 6:53AM2.37m | 7:23PM2.56m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:13PM0.76m | 7:42AM0.65m | 8:15PM0.81m | 8:44AM0.67m | 9:22PM0.82m | 9:51AM0.67m | 10:31PM0.78m | 10:58AM0.62m | 11:36PM0.70m | 12:02PM0.54m | 00:35AM0.60m | 12:58PM0.45m | 1:29AM0.50m | ||||||||
6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | |
— | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:10 | — | |
mm | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 9 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 |
Temp °C | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 15 | 14 | 14 |
Feels °C | 12 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 10 | NE 10 | NW 6 | NNW 6 | NE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | NNW 7 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | NNW 7 | NW 8 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NE 9 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NNW 6 |
25 | 25 | 34 | 12 | 29 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 344 | 8 | 8 | 78 | 38 | 24 | 12 | 13 | 18 | 29 | 28 | 25 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 10 | N 10 | NE 10 | NE 10 | N 10 | NW 5 | NW 19 | NW 18 | N 9 | ENE 9 | — | NE 16 | NE 10 | N 7 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | NNW 6 | NE 16 | NE 14 | NE 14 | ENE 9 |
2 | 2 | 24 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 13 | 2 | 8 | — | 10 | 4 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 39 | 30 | 54 | 32 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NE 14 | N 10 | N 10 | SE 4 | NW 17 | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | — | W 16 | — | NE 16 | NE 10 | NE 17 | NE 15 | NE 15 | NW 5 | N 18 | NE 17 | NE 14 |
— | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 5 | — | 10 | 4 | 12 | 8 | 36 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 31 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 5 | NW 6 | — | — | NNW 5 | WNW 4 | NNW 4 | NNW 4 | NNW 5 | NW 8 | NNW 8 | NW 8 | WSW 3 | WNW 3 | — | — | — | — | NW 4 | NW 5 | — |
30 | 60 | — | — | 11 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 69 | 681 | 322 | 321 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 49 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 518 | 518 | 0 | 65 | 65 | 544 | 538 | 538 | 547 | 469 | 43 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 60 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 63 |
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










