Charleston Surf Break

Lat Long: 41.90° S 171.44° E

Charleston Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 12 am 04 Nov 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Charleston sea temperature is
13.7°C
0.3° 

Charleston surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Charleston surf forecast from 4 Nov 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 8 Nov, 1PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 15s period, WSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 8 Nov, 1PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 15s period, WSW swell with 2,550 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 4 Nov, 7AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 14s 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 Wednesday (Nov 04) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Charleston in the next 16 days are 2.4m 15s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Nov 08) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.4m 8s period and expected on Friday (Nov 06) at 7AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7AM (Wed 4th Nov)4.5ft (1.3m) 14s
Best Surf 1PM (Sun 8th Nov)8ft (2.4m) 15s
Most Powerful 1PM (Sun 8th Nov)8ft (2.4m) 15s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Charleston over the next 16 days.


Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 38mm), heaviest during Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu morning, min 14°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Tue night, fresh winds from the NNE by Thu night).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Fri night. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon morning, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Wednesday
4
Thursday
5
Friday
6
Saturday
7
Sunday
8
Monday
9
Tuesday
10
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
2
2
0
0
0
0
2
1
2
1
3
3
4
3
0
3
4
1
4
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.4
WSW
14
1.3
WSW
14
1.2
WSW
13
1.1
WSW
12
1
WSW
12
0.8
WSW
12
2.2
NNW
8
1.7
NNW
8
1.6
NNW
8
1.3
NNW
8
1.1
NNW
8
1.1
NNW
8
2.2
WSW
16
2.3
WSW
15
2.1
WSW
14
1.9
WSW
13
1.6
WSW
13
1.3
WSW
13
2.2
WNW
12
2
WNW
11
2.3
NW
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
811
604
484
377
278
177
644
392
368
237
146
165
2247
2289
1773
1229
854
530
1379
973
1201
Wind (km/h)
15
NNE
15
NNE
10
ENE
10
NE
20
NNE
25
NE
25
NNE
15
NNE
10
NE
10
N
5
N
10
WSW
5
WSW
5
WNW
10
E
10
NE
25
N
15
E
10
NE
15
NNE
10
ENE
Wind State
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
High Tide
7:28AM2.40m
7:53PM2.54m
8:27AM2.49m
8:48PM2.62m
9:17AM2.60m
9:36PM2.68m
10:01AM2.68m
10:18PM2.73m
10:40AM2.75m
10:57PM2.75m
11:17AM2.78m
11:35PM2.75m
11:52AM2.77m
00:11AM2.71m
Low Tide
1:33PM0.58m
2:09AM0.44m
2:32PM0.49m
3:02AM0.36m
3:23PM0.40m
3:48AM0.30m
4:08PM0.33m
4:29AM0.26m
4:49PM0.28m
5:07AM0.26m
5:27PM0.27m
5:44AM0.29m
6:05PM0.29m
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
light rain
heavy rain
light rain
heavy rain
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
cloud
light rain
mod rain
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:16
—
—
6:15
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—
6:13
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—
6:13
—
—
6:11
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—
6:11
—
—
6:09
—
—
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
—
8:19
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—
8:20
—
—
8:21
—
—
8:22
—
—
8:23
—
—
8:24
—
—
8:25
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 mm
1
—
—
1
5
16
2
13
5
1
1
—
—
—
—
—
3
6
3
—
—
Temp °C
16
15
15
17
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
14
15
15
14
18
15
16
16
17
15
Feels °C
14
13
14
16
13
12
13
14
16
15
16
13
15
14
12
16
11
15
14
15
14
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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