Wellington – Lyall Bay

Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

Sports: Surfing, SUP

Best time to go: all year

Lyall Bay is a sandy, south-facing bay on Wellington's south coast, about 15 minutes from the city centre and right beside the airport runway. Southerly swells from the Southern Ocean and Cook Strait break across the bay, and the best waves are usually at the Corner, a right-hand bank against the airport sea wall. Northerly winds, which are common in Wellington, blow offshore.

The bay is the centre of the city's surf scene, with a surf club, surf shop and cafés. It works mostly in autumn and winter when southerly storms send in swell, though those storms also bring cold, rough conditions. The Corner gets crowded, and the rocks along the sea wall are a hazard.

Month by month at Wellington – Lyall Bay

January: 13 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 13 knots, waves 1.9 m, water 18°C, air 20°C (nights 15°C), 28 sunny days, 9 rainy days
February: 16 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 14 knots, waves 2 m, water 18°C, air 20°C (nights 15°C), 24 sunny days, 10 rainy days
March: 17 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 13 knots, waves 2.2 m, water 18°C, air 18°C (nights 14°C), 27 sunny days, 10 rainy days
April: 14 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 13 knots, waves 2.1 m, water 17°C, air 17°C (nights 13°C), 23 sunny days, 9 rainy days
May: 14 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 12 knots, waves 2.3 m, water 16°C, air 15°C (nights 11°C), 23 sunny days, 10 rainy days
June: 15 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 13 knots, waves 2.4 m, water 15°C, air 14°C (nights 10°C), 19 sunny days, 13 rainy days
July: 15 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 12 knots, waves 2.4 m, water 13°C, air 13°C (nights 9°C), 20 sunny days, 13 rainy days
August: 20 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 15 knots, waves 2.5 m, water 13°C, air 12°C (nights 9°C), 22 sunny days, 13 rainy days
September: 20 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 15 knots, waves 2.4 m, water 14°C, air 14°C (nights 10°C), 24 sunny days, 12 rainy days
October: 22 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 16 knots, waves 2.5 m, water 14°C, air 15°C (nights 11°C), 24 sunny days, 13 rainy days
November: 19 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 15 knots, waves 2 m, water 15°C, air 17°C (nights 13°C), 26 sunny days, 11 rainy days
December: 19 windy days (15+ knots), average wind 15 knots, waves 2 m, water 17°C, air 19°C (nights 14°C), 26 sunny days, 12 rainy days

When is the best time to go surfing at Wellington – Lyall Bay?

All year, when the waves are biggest.

How warm is the water at Wellington – Lyall Bay?

13°C to 18°C over the year: a 4/3 full suit in the warmest month, a 5/4 with hood, boots and gloves in the coolest.

How windy is Wellington – Lyall Bay?

About 203 days a year with at least 2 hours of 15+ knots in the daytime, most in October.

Figures from 5 years of weather data (Open-Meteo).

Spots near Wellington – Lyall Bay

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