Surf Forecasts:
Charleston surf forecast from 29 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, WSW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 31 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 14s period, WSW swell with 10,510 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period with WSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Charleston this week:
The surf forecast for Charleston over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 2.3m and 14s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 22s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-shore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Charleston in the next 16 days are 5.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 8s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 30) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Mon 31st Aug) | 16ft (5.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Charleston over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 12°C on Sun morning, min 10°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Mon morning, light winds from the SW by Tue night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 37mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 14°C on Wed night, min 10°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NW on Wed night, calm by Thu afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 13 | WSW 16 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WNW 9 | WSW 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 15 | W 9 | W 12 | W 14 | W 15 | W 16 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 3476 | 7835 | 6904 | 8554 | 9340 | 8614 | 6513 | 2148 | 2986 | 2200 | 1846 | 1938 | 1464 | 2234 | 1901 | 1928 | 2328 | 5216 | 7907 | 7293 | 7308 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 11:50AM2.84m | 00:05AM2.94m | 12:26PM2.84m | 00:42AM2.90m | 1:04PM2.79m | 1:23AM2.81m | 1:46PM2.70m | 2:09AM2.67m | 2:35PM2.57m | 3:04AM2.51m | 3:35PM2.44m | 4:13AM2.37m | 4:51PM2.37m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:56PM0.15m | 6:18AM0.09m | 6:33PM0.17m | 6:56AM0.15m | 7:14PM0.24m | 7:38AM0.26m | 7:59PM0.35m | 8:25AM0.41m | 8:52PM0.48m | 9:22AM0.57m | 9:56PM0.61m | 10:32AM0.70m | 11:14PM0.67m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | |  | | |  | | | |  | | | | | | | | | |
 | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — |
 | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:12 | — |
mm | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 15 | — | — | 9 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | — | 3 |
Temp °C | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
Feels °C | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 16 | N 8 | — | — | — | — | WSW 22 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | WSW 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | W 12 | W 14 | W 15 | W 16 |
| kJ | 927 | 12 | — | — | — | — | 46 | 2148 | 2986 | 2200 | 1846 | 411 | 1464 | 2234 | 1901 | 1928 | 1059 | 5216 | 7907 | 7293 | 7308 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 22 | WSW 20 | WSW 18 | — | — | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 45 | 128 | 124 | — | — | 721 | 450 | 313 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 13 | WSW 16 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 9 | — | — | — | WNW 9 | — | — | — | WNW 7 | W 9 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 3476 | 7835 | 6904 | 8554 | 9340 | 8614 | 6513 | 1345 | — | — | — | 1938 | — | — | — | 378 | 2328 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 184 | 187 | 179 | 180 | 196 | 166 | 180 | 179 | 179 | 23 | 184 | 179 | 23 | 203 | 51 | 166 | 196 | 166 | 184 | 184 | 179 |
Best forecast wave conditions in West Coast South Island | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 Charleston 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 Charleston Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Charleston provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Charleston can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Charleston 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 (Charleston) 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 Charleston 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.
Charleston is 167 km (104 miles) from the city of Nelson. If you plan a holiday in West Coast South Island, look for hotels and other accommodation in Nelson. Nelson has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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