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Cannibal Bay Surf Forecast
/ Catlins (9 surf breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Cannibal Bay surfForecast / Catlins / New Zealand
16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 5 am Thursday 07 May 2026 NZSTForecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Cannibal Bay surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Cannibal Bay sea temperature is
13.7° C
(Which is 3.0°C warmer than normal for this time of year)Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cannibal Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Cannibal Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (May 07) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 1.1m and 6s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cannibal Bay in the next 16 days are 6.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (May 11) at 9AM. 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 3s period and expected on Sunday (May 10) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Thu 7th May) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Sun 10th May) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Mon 11th May) | 20ft (6.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cannibal Bay over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu afternoon, min 9°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri night, strong winds from the WSW by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Very mild (max 11°C on Mon night, min 4°C on Sun afternoon). Winds decreasing (near gales from the SW on Sun night, light winds from the WNW by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 7 | Friday 8 | Saturday 9 | Sunday 10 | Monday 11 | Tuesday 12 | Wednesday 13 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 16 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | |
312 | 261 | 229 | 282 | 206 | 665 | 724 | 644 | 2181 | 10682 | 7565 | 11878 | 13926 | 10031 | 5094 | 10111 | 7336 | 2844 | 1467 | 2834 | 2241 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | |
High Tide | 6:48PM2.12m | 7:03AM2.05m | 7:39PM2.07m | 8:02AM2.03m | 8:36PM2.06m | 9:03AM2.05m | 9:35PM2.08m | 10:01AM2.11m | 10:32PM2.15m | 10:55AM2.20m | 11:24PM2.23m | 11:46AM2.31m | 00:14AM2.33m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:36PM1.08m | 00:59AM1.16m | 1:28PM1.10m | 1:52AM1.16m | 2:26PM1.09m | 2:50AM1.14m | 3:24PM1.06m | 3:50AM1.10m | 4:20PM1.01m | 4:47AM1.04m | 5:14PM0.94m | 5:40AM0.96m | 6:06PM0.88m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  | | | | | |  | | |  | | |  | |  | | |
 | 7:45 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — |
 | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:20 | — |
1 | — | — | — | 3 | 6 | — | 1 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 13 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 |
11 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 4 | -1 | -7 | -5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 6 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SW 9 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | ENE 10 | ENE 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | ENE 12 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 |
 kJ | 312 | 261 | 229 | 282 | 170 | 665 | 724 | 309 | 2181 | 6271 | 19 | 57 | 7055 | 4507 | 28 | 7093 | 5239 | 2844 | 1467 | 980 | 1310 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | E 8 | ENE 10 | SSW 15 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 14 | — | ENE 13 | ENE 12 | — | ENE 11 | ENE 14 | E 13 | S 20 | SSW 19 | SSW 16 |
| kJ | 9 | 25 | 32 | 92 | 61 | 61 | 246 | 644 | 103 | 40 | 19 | — | 32 | 50 | — | 25 | 41 | 51 | 279 | 466 | 568 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 9 | E 11 | WSW 4 | S 9 | SSW 16 | SSW 17 | — | ENE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 24 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | E 11 |
| kJ | 3 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 206 | 329 | — | 155 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 43 | 63 | 90 | 21 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 5 | NE 6 | — | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | SSW 3 | SW 8 | WNW 3 | W 3 | SW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | — | NW 3 | SW 12 | SSW 12 |
| kJ | 36 | 72 | — | 211 | 117 | 9 | 269 | 5 | 11 | 10682 | 7565 | 11878 | 13926 | 10031 | 5094 | 10111 | 7336 | — | 2 | 2834 | 2241 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 5 | 58 | 58 | 66 | 254 | 400 | 643 | 107 | 165 | 158 | 158 | 401 | 5 | 3 | 25 | 5 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Catlins | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 Cannibal Bay 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 Cannibal Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Cannibal Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cannibal Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cannibal 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 (Cannibal 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 Cannibal 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.
Cannibal Bay is 88 km (55 miles) from Dunedin. If you plan a holiday in Catlins, look for hotels and other accommodation in Dunedin. Dunedin has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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