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Bluecliffs Surf Forecast
/ Southland (9 surf breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Bluecliffs surfForecast / Southland / New Zealand
16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 5 pm Monday 18 May 2026 NZSTForecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Bluecliffs surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Bluecliffs sea temperature is
13.1° C
(Which is 1.5°C warmer than normal for this time of year)Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Bluecliffs this week:
The surf forecast for Bluecliffs over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (May 19) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Bluecliffs in the next 16 days are 3.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (May 23) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.3m 13s period and expected on Thursday (May 21) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Tue 19th May) | 2ft (0.6m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Sat 23rd May) | 8ft (2.5m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Sat 23rd May) | 11ft (3.5m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bluecliffs over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Wed night, min 5°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 12°C on Fri night, min 5°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Mon 18 | Tuesday 19 | Wednesday 20 | Thursday 21 | Friday 22 | Saturday 23 | Sunday 24 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
SW 16 | SW 15 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | |
198 | 188 | 133 | 84 | 67 | 62 | 127 | 111 | 74 | 66 | 121 | 563 | 319 | 2204 | 3017 | 2215 | 1718 | 1447 | 1376 | 1139 | 586 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
glassy | off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | off | glassy | off | off | |
High Tide | 1:12AM2.24m | 1:50PM2.22m | 2:06AM2.19m | 2:47PM2.13m | 3:03AM2.11m | 3:47PM2.03m | 4:05AM2.02m | 4:51PM1.93m | 5:10AM1.93m | 5:55PM1.86m | 6:16AM1.87m | 6:59PM1.82m | 7:21AM1.83m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:06PM0.16m | 7:32AM-0.02m | 8:00PM0.23m | 8:28AM0.04m | 8:56PM0.30m | 9:28AM0.13m | 9:56PM0.38m | 10:30AM0.23m | 11:00PM0.44m | 11:35AM0.31m | 00:06AM0.48m | 12:40PM0.36m | 1:10AM0.48m | ||||||||
 |  | | | |  | |  | | | |  |  |  |  | |  | | | | | |
 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:08 | — | — | 8:10 | — | — | 8:11 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:15 |
 | 5:24 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:19 | — | 5:17 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 9 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 11 |
7 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 8 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 15 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 9 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SW 13 | SSW 14 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 |
 kJ | 198 | 188 | 133 | 84 | 67 | 62 | 37 | 49 | 74 | 66 | 101 | 563 | 319 | 411 | 1388 | 2215 | 1718 | 1447 | 1376 | 1139 | 586 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 6 | S 21 | S 21 | SW 20 | SW 18 | SW 19 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 16 | — | SW 12 | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 13 | — | — |
| kJ | — | 1 | 9 | 9 | 15 | 13 | 57 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 121 | — | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | 372 | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 21 | — | WSW 20 | SW 21 | SW 19 | SW 18 | W 17 | WNW 14 | WSW 12 | — | SW 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | 18 | — | 37 | 18 | 127 | 111 | 6 | 107 | 14 | — | 77 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | NNE 3 | — | — | — | WNW 13 | SSW 4 | — | — | W 3 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1821 | 13 | — | — | 6 | 2204 | 3017 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 181 | 185 | 0 | 44 | 165 | 0 | 165 | 215 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Southland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Bluecliffs surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
Information about the Bluecliffs Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Bluecliffs provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Bluecliffs can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Bluecliffs 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 (Bluecliffs) 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 Bluecliffs 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.
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