Surf Forecasts:
Tauranga Bay surf forecast from 13 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 13 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 7s period, NE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 17 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 8s period, ESE swell with 554 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 13 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 7s 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 Thursday (Aug 13) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Tauranga Bay in the next 16 days are 2.0m 8s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 17) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 15) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Thu 13th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Thu 13th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tauranga Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's talk Tauranga Bay. We're looking at a pretty quiet stretch, but there's one window that's worth knowing about.
Water temp is about 15°C, right on the mark for this time of year.
The action, or lack of it, kicks off on Thursday the 13th. A little 1-foot NE swell rolls in with a combo energy of just 127, weak stuff. Cross-off wind from the WSW keeps it clean, but it's more of a wade than a surf. By the afternoon, the wind swings NW and onshore, turning it into a bumpy mess.
Friday the 14th is more of the same: small and clean, but weak as dishwater. Saturday and Sunday the 15th and 16th are a write-off. Tiny waves, strong SW winds, and energy dropping to 76 by Sunday morning. Brutal.
Now, circle Monday the 17th. This is the one moment in the whole 16 days that's worth your fuel. We get a clean 5-foot ESE swell, packing a moderate energy of 336, and it's coming with a crisp 16 mph S offshore breeze. Tauranga Bay is a consistent beginner spot, so with that size and perfect offshore wind, the conditions will be glassy and clean. The morning session on Monday is the clear, standout call here. It's not huge, but it's the best we've got.
After that, it's a long flat spell. From Tuesday the 18th all the way through Sunday the 24th of August, it's tiny to flat. Most days show energy readings under 50 (weak), with all kinds of onshore junk. There's a tiny bump on Monday afternoon the 24th, a 2-foot N swell with 104 energy, but the conditions are still poor. Don't bother.
The last few days, around Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th, we see a small push back up to 4-5 feet from the N and NW, but the period is a short, choppy 6-7 seconds. The wind is messy, making for poor quality. It'll be better for the kite guys than a proper surf.
Bottom line: if you're itching to paddle out, set your sights on Monday the 17th. That's your day for clean, offshore, and consistent waves. The rest of the outlook is a stretch of small, blown-out junk. Better to hold off and wait for the next proper swell.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Fri morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu morning, min 12°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sun night. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun morning, min 8°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | |||||||||||||||
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 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 10 | NE 10 | NE 10 | NE 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 13 | E 9 | ESE 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 82 | 77 | 62 | 108 | 94 | 90 | 58 | 76 | 76 | 51 | 33 | 64 | 336 | 237 | 94 | 60 | 39 | 31 | 17 | 6 | 8 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:36PM2.68m | 8:58AM2.53m | 9:25PM2.71m | 9:48AM2.57m | 10:11PM2.71m | 10:36AM2.57m | 10:54PM2.66m | 11:20AM2.55m | 11:37PM2.58m | 12:03PM2.49m | 00:19AM2.48m | 12:46PM2.41m | 1:01AM2.38m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:08PM0.33m | 2:41AM0.44m | 2:57PM0.30m | 3:31AM0.38m | 3:44PM0.33m | 4:17AM0.37m | 4:30PM0.40m | 5:01AM0.41m | 5:15PM0.52m | 5:44AM0.49m | 6:00PM0.65m | 6:27AM0.60m | 6:45PM0.79m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  | | | | | |  |  | |  | | | | | | | |
 | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — |
 | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 12 |
Feels °C | 16 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 10 | NE 10 | NE 10 | NE 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | ESE 10 | SE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 9 |
| kJ | 82 | 77 | 62 | 108 | 94 | 90 | 58 | 76 | 76 | 51 | 33 | 64 | 336 | 237 | 94 | 60 | 39 | 31 | 8 | 3 | 8 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 | E 8 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 9 | — | E 9 | ENE 9 | NE 9 | NE 10 | SE 14 | E 9 | E 9 | E 12 |
| kJ | 41 | 27 | 19 | 12 | 12 | 23 | 50 | 41 | 22 | 22 | 13 | 13 | — | 2 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 8 | E 15 | E 15 | NW 6 | NW 6 | WNW 5 | E 13 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | — | — | — | NE 11 | NE 11 | E 14 | NE 10 | ESE 13 | SE 13 | E 9 |
| kJ | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 16 | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 6 | 2 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | SW 3 | SW 3 | SE 3 | — | — | SW 2 | — | — | SE 3 | — | — | E 3 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 9 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 130 | 15 | 15 | 3 | 134 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 52 | 65 | 73 |
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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