Tauranga Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 35.00° S 173.83° E

Tauranga Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 pm 29 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Tauranga Bay sea temperature is
16.1° 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 29 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 31 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 11s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 30 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 12s period, ESE swell with 192 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 31 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 11s period with E 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 Friday (Jul 31) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 6s. 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 0.8m 12s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) 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 0.8m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 02) at 12PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Fri 31st Jul)2ft (0.6m) 11s
Best Surf 9PM (Fri 31st Jul)2ft (0.6m) 11s
Most Powerful 9AM (Thu 30th Jul)2.5ft (0.8m) 12s

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


The Lowdown

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Tauranga Bay. It’s a bit of a slow starter, to be honest. The next few days are looking pretty ordinary. We’ve got small, messy swell and bumpy wind all the way through until the end of the first week of August. The water temp is about what you’d expect for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

Thursday the 30th and Friday 31st of July are a write-off – tiny ESE swell around 2ft to 3ft, cross-onshore wind, and the combined energy is weak at 218 (moderate wave energy). Just not worth paddling out.

Saturday the 1st of August finally gives us a glimmer. Saturday afternoon goes glassy, with a tiny 1ft of long-period 16-second NE groundswell. The energy is low at 87 (weak wave energy), but that glassy surface will make it look clean. It’s a beginner-friendly wave, but it’s inconsistent. You might get a few silky little rollers.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Sunday the 2nd right through to Friday the 7th of August, it’s flat or tiny, with poor conditions. The swell barely reaches 1ft to 3ft, and winds are either cross or onshore. The combined energy stays below 129 (weak to moderate wave energy) for most of it. It’s a frustrating gap of about five days with nothing to shout about.

The weekend of the 7th and 8th of August brings a spike in size, but it’s ugly. Friday the 7th sees a 7ft to 8ft NW windswell, but with a short period of 8 seconds and onshore wind, it’s just a lumpy mess. The energy jumps to 676 and 947 (moderate wave energy), but the quality is poor. Saturday the 8th drops back to tiny, messy surf.

Finally, things start to get interesting. From Monday the 10th of August, we’ve got a proper pulse of ESE groundswell with a 12-second period. Monday morning is the standout of the whole run. The swell is a clean 5ft, direction is ESE, and the wind is offshore from the south at 25 km/h. Combined energy is a solid 663 (moderate wave energy). The water will be clean, with moderate offshore wind. That’s a genuine opening for a solid session, especially for the more experienced crew – it’s not a beginner wave at that size.

Tuesday the 11th of August gets huge, but it’s a beast. We’re looking at 13ft on Tuesday morning, dropping to 12ft in the afternoon, with a 12-second period. The energy is massive at 4721 and 4176 (strong to very strong wave energy). That’s expert-only territory. The wind is cross-offshore, so it’s clean, but it’s a big, powerful, grinding wall – only for the brave and skilled.

The swell sticks around through Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th of August, with waves between 8ft and 12ft, but the wind swings cross or cross-onshore, chopping it up. The energy remains high, 3203 to 3847 (strong to very strong wave energy), but the quality drops.

The very last window, Friday the 14th of August morning, looks promising. The swell drops to a more manageable 5ft from the ESE, with a 12-second period. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the ESE at 5 km/h, with a combined energy of 772 (moderate wave energy). The forecast is for very good surf conditions. That’s another solid option for a clean, powerful wave, though it’s still a step up in size from the Monday morning session.

So, to sum it up: the best on offer is Monday the 10th of August morning. It’s a solid 5ft ESE groundswell with offshore wind – clean, powerful, and all yours. The second best is Friday the 14th of August morning, with a slightly smaller 5ft swell and light cross-offshore wind, also looking clean. The rest of the period is a mix of flat spells and big, messy swells, so pick your window carefully.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Thu night. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu morning, min 11°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NW on Thu night, calm by Sat afternoon).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue afternoon, min 9°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Thursday
30
Friday
31
Saturday
1
Sunday
2
Monday
3
Tuesday
4
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
1
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.8
ESE
12
0.8
ESE
12
0.8
ESE
12
0.7
ESE
12
0.6
ESE
11
0.6
ESE
11
0.6
E
11
0.5
E
11
0.3
NE
16
0.3
NE
15
0.3
NE
15
0.8
E
6
0.7
E
6
0.3
NE
13
0.3
NE
13
0.3
NE
12
0.3
NE
12
0.3
NE
12
0.3
NE
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
208
192
186
142
97
97
88
61
41
43
33
54
35
27
26
23
23
24
20
Wind (km/h)
15
NNE
10
NW
25
NNW
30
NW
20
W
20
W
10
WSW
15
WSW
5
NW
15
ESE
20
SSE
15
SE
10
S
5
WSW
15
SW
10
SW
10
SW
15
WSW
10
SW
Wind State
on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
8:18AM2.20m
8:53PM2.35m
9:00AM2.24m
9:31PM2.39m
9:42AM2.28m
10:09PM2.42m
10:24AM2.31m
10:49PM2.44m
11:06AM2.34m
11:30PM2.44m
11:49AM2.35m
00:14AM2.43m
Low Tide
2:11AM0.82m
2:27PM0.67m
2:52AM0.75m
3:04PM0.63m
3:33AM0.68m
3:41PM0.61m
4:12AM0.64m
4:19PM0.61m
4:52AM0.62m
5:00PM0.64m
5:33AM0.62m
5:44PM0.68m
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
part cloud
light rain
light rain
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:20
7:20
7:18
7:18
7:16
7:16
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:40
5:42
5:42
5:43
5:44
5:45
 mm
3
1
1
11
1
1
4
Temp °C
14
16
16
15
15
15
13
12
13
11
12
14
10
13
15
13
15
16
12
Feels °C
12
11
11
10
11
10
10
10
12
7
8
10
6
10
11
10
12
12
10
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • 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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