Tauranga Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 35.00° S 173.83° E

Tauranga Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 pm 30 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Tauranga Bay sea temperature is
16.2° C
0.7° 

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 30 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 6 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 6s period, NNW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 6 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 7s period, NNW swell with 465 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 2.1m 7s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 06) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 02) at 6AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Fri 31st Jul)2ft (0.6m) 11s
Best Surf 6AM (Thu 6th Aug)7ft (2.1m) 6s
Most Powerful 9AM (Thu 6th Aug)7ft (2.1m) 7s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s ahead for Tauranga Bay. We’ve got a bit of a quiet start, but there’s a real standout moment later on that’s worth keeping an eye on.

The first few days are a bit of a write-off, I’m not gonna lie. From Thursday the 30th through to Wednesday the 5th of August, the surf is small and mostly messy. The energy is weak, with combined swell energy figures sitting as low as 31 (weak) and rarely getting into the moderate range. Winds are a mixed bag, and the swell heights are tiny, mostly around 1 ft to 3 ft. It’s just not worth paddling out for. This is a solid gap of about a week with nothing to recommend.

We finally get a bit of life on Thursday morning, the 6th of August. This is our standout. The swell jumps up to 7 ft from the NNW. The combined energy is a hefty 503 (strong). The wind is glassy – that’s a rare treat. The catch is, the period is only 7 seconds, so it’s a short-period windswell, not a groundswell. That means it’ll be a bit bouncy and won’t have that long, clean line. For a beach break, this much short-period energy can be a bit of a washing machine. That Thursday afternoon it gets wind-affected, so the morning window is the one to chase. That 7 ft is also getting into the zone where it’s a bit much for beginners.

After that, the rest of the forecast is a bit of a letdown. We get some small, clean windows on the 8th and 9th of August, with ankle-to-knee-high swell from the ESE and NE, but the energy is low (103-153), and the conditions are just “ordinary.” Nothing to get excited about. There’s a pulse of energy on the 12th of August with 7 ft NE swell and 425 energy (strong), but the wind is cross-shore and the tide conditions are questionable. That one is a maybe, not a lock.

For the long-range, Wednesday the 13th of August morning has a big energy reading of 769 (very strong) with 5 ft ENE swell and a 12-second period, which is a proper groundswell. But the wind is onshore, so it’s going to be a messy, blown-out affair. That’s a promising energy source, but the wind will ruin it unless you’re into kite surfing. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on that day.

So, bottom line: If you’re a beginner, Tauranga Bay is a great spot, but the only real window for you is maybe the 3 ft glassy morning on the 8th of August. For everyone else, set your alarm for the morning of Thursday the 6th of August. That’s the best on offer. The water is sitting at 61°F, which is about average for this time of year.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 30mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu afternoon, min 10°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NNW on Thu night, calm by Fri night).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 10°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Thu
30
Friday
31
Saturday
1
Sunday
2
Monday
3
Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
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
1
0
1
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
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)
0.8
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
1
E
5
0.3
NE
15
1.1
E
7
0.3
NE
13
0.3
NE
13
0.3
NE
13
0.3
NE
12
0.3
NE
12
0.3
NE
12
0.3
NE
11
0.3
NE
12
0.3
NE
12
1.1
N
4
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
186
142
97
97
88
61
41
46
34
114
28
27
26
23
23
23
20
22
22
47
Wind (km/h)
25
NNW
30
NNW
15
W
20
W
10
SW
15
NNE
10
SE
25
SE
20
SSE
10
SE
10
SSW
10
WSW
15
WSW
10
SW
10
SSW
10
SW
10
SW
10
S
10
ENE
5
ESE
Wind State
on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-off
on
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross
glassy
High Tide
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
12:35PM2.36m
1:01AM2.41m
Low Tide
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
6:17AM0.63m
6:32PM0.74m
clear
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
mod rain
mod rain
rain showers
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:20
7:18
7:18
7:16
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
5:45
 mm
12
7
7
4
1
Temp °C
16
15
14
14
11
13
11
13
12
14
11
13
16
12
14
16
12
14
13
13
Feels °C
11
10
10
9
8
10
9
7
8
11
8
11
13
10
11
13
9
12
11
11
  • 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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