
Surf Forecasts:
Tauranga Bay surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 21 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 7s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 14s period, ESE swell with 218 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 14s period with ESE 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 (Jul 18) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 8s. 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 0.7m 14s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tauranga Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer around Tauranga Bay over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I’ve gotta be straight with you – it’s gonna be a quiet, frustrating stretch for surfers. The first solid recommendation doesn’t really pop up until the 18th of July, Saturday morning, and even then it’s pretty average. We’ve got a small, clean wave coming in at 2ft from the ESE with a 15-second period – that’s a long-period groundswell, which usually means better-shaped waves, but at this size it’s more of a knee-high dribble. The water temp is sitting at 62°, which is about 1° warmer than usual for this time of year – nothing out of the ordinary. The combined energy is moderate (231). The wind is light and cross-off from the SW, so conditions are clean. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, consistent, and crowds are rare, so if you’re learning or just want to get wet, it’s a passable option. Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning stay small and clean, but the swell drops to 2ft and 2ft, with energy dropping to 170 and 125. Still surfable, but very ordinary.
Monday the 20th is a real low point – the morning goes glassy but the swell is only 1ft with a weak energy of 57. The afternoon turns onshore with a NNW breeze, making it a write-off. Tuesday the 21st brings a jump in size to 5ft from the east, but the period crashes to 7 seconds – that’s short-period, weak windswell – and the energy is moderate (216). The wind is a moderate cross-off from the ESE, so it’s clean, but the quality is poor. This is beach-and-reef setup, and with that lumpy, short-period chop, it’s looking more interesting for kite surfers than paddle surfers. The same goes for Wednesday and Thursday – tiny, weak, and mostly poor.
The 26th of July, Sunday, is probably the best of a bad bunch. We get a 2ft ESE swell with a 10-second period, light offshore from the S, and clean conditions. The energy is weak (58), but it’s surfable. The 27th Monday morning has a moderate offshore breeze, but the swell is only 1.0ft – not worth paddling out for.
From the 28th of July onward, it’s a long, dry gap. The swell drops to 0.7ft and 1.0ft, with energy in the 20s and 30s, and the wind is mostly clean but the waves just aren’t there. The 30th gets a little bump from the NW at 4ft, but the period is 6 seconds – terrible windswell – and the wind is cross-onshore making it choppy and poor. The 31st into August has a 1.0ft to 1ft NE groundswell with a very long 18-19 second period, but the energy is weak (92-147) and the size is tiny. It’s just not enough to get excited about.
Honestly, the standout is the Saturday morning of the 18th of July – it’s clean, small, and beginner-friendly, but it’s nothing to write home about. If you’re desperate for a paddle, that’s your window. Otherwise, this forecast is a long, flat run. Keep an eye on updates – these things can change.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue morning, min 11°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 15 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | E 9 | E 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
222 | 163 | 160 | 113 | 70 | 57 | 51 | 49 | 48 | 181 | 181 | 86 | 52 | 38 | 62 | 32 | 94 | 108 | 94 | 127 | 106 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | on | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:00AM2.54m | 11:23PM2.69m | 11:48AM2.50m | 00:10AM2.61m | 12:35PM2.45m | 00:56AM2.52m | 1:23PM2.37m | 1:42AM2.42m | 2:13PM2.30m | 2:28AM2.32m | 3:08PM2.23m | 3:16AM2.24m | 4:06PM2.19m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:56PM0.36m | 5:31AM0.40m | 5:44PM0.47m | 6:18AM0.47m | 6:32PM0.60m | 7:04AM0.55m | 7:21PM0.74m | 7:52AM0.66m | 8:11PM0.86m | 8:42AM0.76m | 9:05PM0.96m | 9:34AM0.83m | 10:02PM1.02m | ||||||||
7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | |
— | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 |
Temp °C | 13 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 12 |
Feels °C | 12 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 15 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | N 8 | E 7 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | E 9 | E 9 |
222 | 163 | 160 | 113 | 70 | 57 | 51 | 49 | 48 | 27 | 11 | 86 | 52 | 38 | 62 | 32 | 94 | 108 | 94 | 127 | 106 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 8 | N 8 | NNE 8 | N 8 | N 8 | NNE 8 | N 8 | NNE 8 | N 8 | N 8 | ESE 11 | NNE 7 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | NE 8 | ESE 10 | E 8 | SE 11 | E 11 | NNW 6 |
5 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 5 | 25 | 11 | 24 | 12 | 11 | 32 | 10 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 22 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 10 | E 9 | — | W 18 | W 18 | SSE 4 | — | N 9 | ESE 5 | NE 8 | — | ESE 11 | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | N 8 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | — | — | — |
4 | 2 | — | 6 | 6 | 2 | — | 6 | 2 | 3 | — | 24 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 10 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 2 | E 7 | E 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 4 | NW 4 | SW 2 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 181 | 181 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 29 | 2 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 33 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 94 | 33 |
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










