Tauranga Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 35.00° S 173.83° E

Tauranga Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 am 07 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Tauranga Bay sea temperature is
16.0° C
0.5° 

Tauranga Bay surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Tauranga Bay surf forecast from 7 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 10 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period, N swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 7s period, NNW swell with 558 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 10 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 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 Monday (Aug 10) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 13s. 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 2.3m 7s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.1m 11s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 6PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6AM (Mon 10th Aug)5ft (1.6m) 8s
Best Surf 6AM (Mon 10th Aug)5ft (1.6m) 8s
Most Powerful 6PM (Sun 9th Aug)7.5ft (2.3m) 7s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tauranga Bay over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer.

Right, straight up, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – this is a grim stretch for Tauranga Bay. The finder is basically giving us the cold shoulder, and when I look at the guidance, it’s a tough pill to swallow. For a break that’s usually fairly consistent, this is a real run of bad luck. We’re looking at a solid 16-day window with hardly a single window that’s worth paddling out for. The combined swell energy just doesn’t get going, and when it does, the wind is all wrong.

Let’s be honest, the first week is a write-off. We’ve got onshore winds, rain, and swell that’s either tiny or blown out. The one glimmer? Monday the 10th of August morning. The wind goes glassy, straight out of the ESE at 3 mph, and we’ve got a 5ft N swell with a period of 8 seconds. The water temp is sitting at 61°, which is about average for this time of year. The combined energy is 243 (moderate), so there’s some push. But the comment says it’s “surfable but very ordinary,” and I’d have to agree. It’s the best of a bad bunch, but it’s not a standout. The swell direction is N, which is okay for the bay, but it’s not its optimum NE. You’ll get a few, but don’t expect magic.

The rest of the first week is just noise. By Sunday the 9th, the swell bumps up to 5ft to 6ft, but it’s a short-period N windswell with a fresh breeze straight onshore. That’s a mess. The combined energy hits 336 (strong) on Sunday afternoon, but with 19 mph winds from the NNW, it’s just a washing machine. Not for surfing.

Moving into the second week, the pattern doesn’t really improve. We get a few mornings with clean, offshore winds, like on the 16th and 17th of August, but the swell drops right off. The combined energy plummets to 106 and then 81 (weak). The 18th of August morning has a light SSW offshore at 6 mph, but the swell is only 2ft from the ENE with a period of 9 seconds. It’s clean, but ankle-snappers. The 20th of August morning also looks clean with a moderate S offshore, but again, the swell is tiny at 1ft.

The absolute best of the whole run, if you can call it that, is the morning of Saturday the 15th of August. We’ve got a 4ft NE swell with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is 394 (strong). The wind is W at 12 mph, which is cross-shore. It’s not perfect, but it’s the most energy we see all window. The swell direction is NE, which is Tauranga Bay’s optimum, so it will be wrapping in nicely. The difficulty is beginner, so it’s a good one for the learners if the conditions hold. The crowds are “rare,” so you’ll have it mostly to yourself. But honestly, with that cross-shore chop, it’s not going to be a classic.

Because of the significant swell energy on the 9th and 14th with strong onshore winds, this break is a beach-and-reef setup. Honestly, for a few of those days, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

So, if you’re desperate, the 10th of August morning is your best bet for clean glass, and the 15th of August morning for the most swell. But don’t set your expectations high. It’s a lean spell. The forecasts can always change, but for now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 51mm), heaviest during Sun night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun morning, min 9°C on Fri morning). Winds increasing (calm on Fri morning, fresh winds from the N by Sun morning).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed afternoon, min 13°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
7
Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Monday
10
Tuesday
11
Wednesday
12
Thursday
13
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
ESE
7
0.4
ESE
7
0.2
ENE
15
0.3
ESE
6
0.7
N
4
1.4
N
6
1.6
N
7
1.8
N
7
1.6
N
8
1.4
N
8
1.3
N
8
1.1
N
8
1
NNE
7
1.3
NNE
7
1.6
NNE
8
1.5
NNE
8
1.4
NNE
8
1.1
NNE
7
1
NNE
7
0.9
NE
10
1.6
NNE
7
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
15
18
21
10
14
132
233
315
291
223
193
145
117
191
324
270
215
125
105
142
263
Wind (km/h)
5
SSW
10
NW
10
WNW
15
N
20
NNE
30
N
25
N
30
NNW
20
N
5
ESE
10
ENE
15
E
15
ENE
20
ENE
5
NNW
10
W
15
WNW
5
SW
10
NE
20
NNE
10
ENE
Wind State
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
on
on
on
on
glassy
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
on
cross-on
High Tide
2:24PM2.33m
2:46AM2.35m
3:30PM2.33m
3:47AM2.32m
4:38PM2.36m
4:55AM2.33m
5:44PM2.43m
6:03AM2.36m
6:45PM2.52m
7:06AM2.42m
7:43PM2.61m
8:04AM2.48m
8:36PM2.68m
Low Tide
8:27PM0.84m
9:00AM0.67m
9:34PM0.85m
10:04AM0.65m
10:43PM0.81m
11:10AM0.60m
11:48PM0.73m
12:15PM0.51m
00:50AM0.63m
1:15PM0.41m
1:48AM0.53m
2:08PM0.33m
2:41AM0.44m
clear
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
light rain
light rain
heavy rain
rain showers
clear
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
light rain
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
cloud
rain showers
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:13
7:13
7:11
7:11
7:09
7:09
7:07
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:46
5:46
5:47
5:49
5:50
5:50
5:51
 mm
1
3
17
30
1
2
5
4
1
Temp °C
10
11
13
14
15
15
16
14
15
15
15
15
16
16
16
16
18
14
16
16
16
Feels °C
8
9
10
10
10
10
12
9
13
15
14
14
15
14
13
14
16
12
13
12
13
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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