Surf Forecasts:
Tauranga Bay surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 6s period, NW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 8s period, NW swell with 1,065 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 offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Tauranga Bay in the next 16 days are 3.0m 8s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 2s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 09) at 9AM.
| 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 (Sat 5th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tauranga Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, Rusty again. Let's translate that for the Imperial crew. We'll be working in feet and miles per hour.
So, Tauranga Bay is looking at a real slow cooker of a forecast. There's a long stretch of flat and ugly before we find anything worth a mention.
For the first five days, up to Monday the 7th, it's practically nothing. Waves under 2 feet with sloppy onshore breeze. Don't even bother checking the cams.
The first real pulse arrives late on Monday the 7th. A big, ugly 10-foot swell from the NW, but the period is a short 8 seconds. The wave energy is off the charts (1594), but the wind is a 19 mph cross-shore mess with thunderstorms rolling through. This is a raw, lumpy, experts-only situation. It's too big for anyone else to be near. Quality is marginal at best.
After that blow-out, we get another long flat spell. From Tuesday the 8th through Tuesday the 15th of September, it's all dribble again. Waves hover between 1 and 2 feet from the NE. The winds are mostly clean and cross-offshore, but there's zip for power. The combined energy is constantly weak, so you're just looking at knee-high slop.
Things perk up a bit on Wednesday the 16th of September. Swell is still tiny, around 1 foot from the NE, but it has a longer 13-second period. Winds are light and cross-offshore. The energy is still low (57 to 66), but the forecast says "surfable." It's clean, but you’ll be hunting for anything. Grab a longboard.
The absolute standout is the morning of Thursday the 17th of September. A 3-foot swell comes in from the NW with a short period of 6 seconds, but the wind drops to zero – dead glassy. The wave energy is a touch stronger (137). For Tauranga Bay, that’s the golden hour. The water temp is about 60°F, which is standard for the time of year. It won't be breaking big, but it'll be clean as a whistle. The rest of that day and Friday sink back into tiny, onshore junk.
So to wrap it up: That big storm surge on the 7th is a wild card for experts, but the real winner is the glassy, clean 3-foot morning on Thursday the 17th of September. That’s your window.
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). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Sun night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun night, min 10°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NNW on Sun night, light winds from the WSW by Mon night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | ||||||||||||||
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 | NE 10 | NE 10 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NE 10 | NE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | NNW 6 | NW 8 | NW 8 | N 8 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NW 7 | NE 9 | NE 15 | NE 16 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 27 | 27 | 29 | 67 | 35 | 24 | 29 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 166 | 1065 | 169 | 117 | 94 | 27 | 8 | 14 | 36 | 39 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | off | off | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 00:40AM2.44m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:18PM0.71m | 6:45AM0.60m | 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 | |||||||
 |  |  | |  | | | | |  | |  |  |  | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — |
 | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:10 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 12 |
Feels °C | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 10 | NE 10 | NE 10 | NE 10 | NW 6 | NNW 5 | NE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | NNW 8 | N 7 | N 8 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NW 7 | NW 6 | NE 9 | NE 8 |
| kJ | 27 | 27 | 25 | 25 | 35 | 10 | 29 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 521 | 131 | 117 | 94 | 27 | 8 | 5 | 28 | 35 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 11 | N 11 | N 10 | N 10 | NE 10 | NE 10 | N 10 | NNW 5 | NW 19 | NW 18 | — | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | NW 8 | E 9 | NE 7 | N 6 | NE 9 | NW 6 | NE 16 |
| kJ | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 13 | — | 8 | 8 | 80 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 5 | 39 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NE 15 | N 10 | N 10 | — | NW 18 | N 10 | N 10 | — | — | — | ENE 9 | NE 16 | NE 10 | NNE 6 | NE 15 | NE 15 | NW 6 |
| kJ | — | — | — | 8 | 2 | 2 | — | 12 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | 8 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 36 | 1 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 4 | NW 4 | NW 4 | NW 6 | — | — | NNW 5 | — | NNW 4 | NNW 4 | NNW 6 | NW 8 | NW 8 | W 3 | WSW 2 | — | WSW 2 | SW 2 | — | — |
| kJ | 10 | 6 | 29 | 67 | — | — | 5 | — | 2 | 11 | 166 | 1065 | 169 | 5 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 518 | 518 | 518 | 518 | 0 | 65 | 65 | 65 | 538 | 538 | 538 | 63 | 74 | 3 | 3 | 112 | 325 | 65 | 21 | 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
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