Surf Forecasts:
Cannibal Bay surf forecast from 24 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 25 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 15s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 31 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 20ft (6.0m), 14s period, SSW swell with 13,926 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 25 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 15s period with SW swell.
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 Tuesday (Aug 25) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 5.0m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 2.5m and 15s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 14s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-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 (Aug 31) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 29) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 16ft (5.0m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 16ft (5.0m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Mon 31st Aug) | 20ft (6.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cannibal Bay over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Wed afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Mon afternoon, min 6°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed morning, strong winds from the NE by Thu morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Very mild (max 12°C on Sat morning, min 6°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the ENE on Thu afternoon, light winds from the WNW by Fri night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | S 14 | S 13 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | SW 6 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 3102 | 2268 | 10315 | 10409 | 3845 | 1849 | 2511 | 3034 | 1840 | 1103 | 943 | 302 | 205 | 207 | 295 | 340 | 423 | 1531 | 2957 | 8354 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 00:50AM2.13m | 1:15PM2.18m | 1:32AM2.19m | 1:56PM2.23m | 2:09AM2.24m | 2:33PM2.29m | 2:45AM2.30m | 3:09PM2.33m | 3:20AM2.36m | 3:44PM2.38m | 3:57AM2.40m | 4:21PM2.40m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:48PM1.09m | 7:06AM0.97m | 7:30PM0.99m | 7:46AM0.88m | 8:06PM0.89m | 8:24AM0.80m | 8:41PM0.82m | 9:00AM0.74m | 9:16PM0.77m | 9:37AM0.70m | 9:53PM0.74m | 10:15AM0.70m | 10:32PM0.74m | |||||||
 |  |  | |  | | |  |  |  |  |  | | |  | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — |
 | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — |
mm | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 3 | 5 | — | — | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | 3 |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
Feels °C | 9 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 3 | -2 | -2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | S 14 | S 13 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | S 7 | SW 7 | SSW 18 | SW 10 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | — |
| kJ | 3102 | 2268 | 3121 | 3361 | 2181 | 1849 | 2511 | 3034 | 1840 | 1103 | 448 | 302 | 201 | 146 | 44 | 340 | 296 | 1531 | 2957 | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | — | S 12 | S 10 | SSE 10 | ENE 9 | SSW 19 | SW 13 | SSW 17 | ENE 7 | E 12 | — |
| kJ | 40 | 40 | 39 | 36 | 34 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 14 | — | 546 | 208 | 160 | 75 | 295 | 78 | 423 | 5 | 11 | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 13 | — | — | — | S 24 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 10 | SSW 13 | SSE 9 | ENE 8 | SE 12 | SE 12 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 34 | — | — | — | 11 | 177 | 82 | 65 | 118 | 26 | 6 | 5 | 6 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NW 3 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | — | — | — | ENE 5 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | NW 2 | SW 7 | SW 6 | WSW 7 | SW 8 | WNW 3 | NW 3 | W 4 | SSW 15 |
| kJ | — | 9 | 10315 | 10409 | 3845 | — | — | — | 91 | 473 | 943 | 1 | 205 | 207 | 81 | 94 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 8354 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 58 | 54 | 54 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 254 | 297 | 156 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 145 | 399 | 145 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Catlins | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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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