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Charleston Surf Forecast
/ West Coast South Island (21 surf breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Charleston surfForecast / West Coast South Island / New Zealand
16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 11 am Sunday 31 May 2026 NZSTForecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Charleston surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Charleston sea temperature is
15.1° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)Charleston surf forecast from 31 May 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 31 May, 6PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 11s period, NNW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 31 May, 3PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 11s period, NNW swell with 3,745 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 31 May, 6PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 11s period with NNW 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 Sunday (May 31) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 4.0m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 13s 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 4.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (May 31) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.5m 10s period and expected on Sunday (May 31) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Sun 31st May) | 13ft (4.0m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Sun 31st May) | 13ft (4.0m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Sun 31st May) | 13ft (4.0m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Charleston over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 126mm), heaviest during Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NNE on Sun afternoon, calm by Tue night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 45mm), heaviest during Thu morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu morning, min 11°C on Wed morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Wed morning, fresh winds from the N by Thu morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 31 | Monday 1 | Tuesday 2 | Wednesday 3 | Thursday 4 | Friday 5 | Saturday 6 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
NNW 10 | NNW 11 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | NW 8 | W 8 | WSW 7 | W 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | WNW 10 | NNW 9 | WNW 9 | NW 9 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | |
2049 | 3745 | 59 | 83 | 111 | 73 | 78 | 692 | 197 | 555 | 189 | 88 | 689 | 819 | 482 | 692 | 554 | 719 | 2380 | 1718 | 1167 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | |
High Tide | 10:28AM2.58m | 10:46PM2.64m | 11:07AM2.59m | 11:24PM2.64m | 11:45AM2.56m | 00:02AM2.61m | 12:24PM2.52m | 00:42AM2.57m | 1:04PM2.46m | 1:22AM2.51m | 1:46PM2.39m | 2:05AM2.46m | 2:31PM2.34m | 2:50AM2.41m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:38PM0.46m | 5:00AM0.44m | 5:16PM0.47m | 5:38AM0.45m | 5:54PM0.50m | 6:18AM0.48m | 6:33PM0.54m | 6:58AM0.52m | 7:13PM0.58m | 7:39AM0.57m | 7:55PM0.63m | 8:23AM0.60m | 8:39PM0.68m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | |  | |  |  |  | |  | | |  | |  | | |  | |
 | 7:50 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — |
 | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:09 | — |
8 | 21 | 24 | 17 | 34 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 3 | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 |
10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 12 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | N 10 | NW 8 | N 10 | WSW 7 | W 12 | W 11 | W 9 | SW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | NNW 9 | WNW 9 | NW 9 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 |
 kJ | 60 | 32 | 59 | 83 | 111 | 2018 | 78 | 434 | 197 | 555 | 185 | 83 | 29 | 307 | 482 | 692 | 554 | 719 | 2380 | 1718 | 1167 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 12 | WSW 13 | — | WNW 11 | W 10 | WSW 11 | W 8 | WSW 15 | N 10 | N 10 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 15 | WSW 11 | SW 13 | WNW 10 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | SW 11 |
| kJ | 30 | 32 | — | 25 | 73 | 73 | 51 | 44 | 237 | 121 | 189 | 88 | 21 | 12 | 45 | 399 | 313 | 54 | 27 | 40 | 31 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | W 11 | N 16 | W 9 | WSW 12 | — | W 13 | NW 7 | N 10 | N 10 | — | WSW 15 | N 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WNW 16 | WSW 12 | WSW 18 | WSW 17 |
| kJ | — | — | — | 9 | 5 | 57 | 75 | — | 130 | 12 | 65 | 28 | — | 21 | 21 | 43 | 40 | 87 | 14 | 66 | 55 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 10 | NNW 11 | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | — | N 10 | W 8 | — | — | NE 3 | NNE 4 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | N 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 2049 | 3745 | 2590 | 1864 | 2307 | — | 951 | 692 | — | — | 2 | 10 | 689 | 819 | 630 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 63 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 51 | 157 | 157 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 179 | 157 | 51 | 157 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in West Coast South Island | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 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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