Surf Forecasts:
Cobden Beach - The Channel surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 16 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 10s period, WNW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 18 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, W swell with 4,606 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 15 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 14s period with WSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cobden Beach - The Channel this week:
The surf forecast for Cobden Beach - The Channel over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cobden Beach - The Channel in the next 16 days are 3.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 18) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Tue 15th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Wed 16th Sep) | 8ft (2.4m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cobden Beach - The Channel over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve been looking over the next couple of weeks. There’s one spot that’s got our attention: Cobden Beach - The Channel. It’s open to the swell, and we’ve got some proper pulses coming through. Water temps are about what you’d expect for this time of year, nothing out of the ordinary.
First decent chance is Tuesday morning, 15 September. The channel is seeing a 4ft wave at 14 seconds out of the WSW, with glassy conditions and barely a breath of wind. The combined swell energy is strong at 517, and the forecast is looking very good. That afternoon drops to 2ft, still clean, but small. Tuesday is a solid choice.
Wednesday, 16 September, the swell picks up to 5ft, but the wind goes cross-shore from the NNE at 15 mph, messing up the surface. Thursday and Friday see the swell climbing fast to 8ft and even 12ft, with messy cross-onshore winds and combined energy hitting the thousands. That’s way too big for this break, and the quality is poor.
Saturday, 19 September, through Monday, 21 September, the swell stays between 7ft and 10ft, but it’s just too much water—combined energy over 2000 to 4000—and the wind is cross-onshore and choppy. Only for experts, and even then it’s not great.
Now, after that rough stretch, Thursday morning, 24 September, things clean right up. We’ve got a 6ft WSW swell with a 15-second period, glassy conditions, and combined energy at 1663. The wave comment calls it excellent for experienced surfers. This is a true standout—long period groundswell, clean, and powerful.
Friday morning, 25 September, brings a 4ft WSW swell with clean offshore winds and combined energy of 665—very good surf, just a little smaller. Then Saturday morning, 26 September, is another glassy morning with 6ft at 12 seconds and combined energy of 860. Solid.
After that, the swell builds again into early October, with another 10ft pulse on Sunday, 27 September, but it’s back to being too big for the break.
Best bets are Tuesday morning, 15 September, and Thursday morning, 24 September—both glassy, with clean WSW groundswell. Crowds are listed as rare, so you might score some solitude.
Remember, those long period swells over 14 seconds can make waves stand up nicely at a channel break like this, giving you proper shape and power.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Wed night. Very mild (max 13°C on Wed afternoon, min 8°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue morning, fresh winds from the WSW by Thu morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 12°C on Sat morning, min 6°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri afternoon, fresh winds from the SW by Sat night). | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | ||||||||||||||
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 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 9 | W 10 | W 11 | NW 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 16 | W 14 | W 15 | W 9 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 10 | W 14 | W 15 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 834 | 514 | 145 | 115 | 386 | 716 | 1065 | 880 | 1157 | 1569 | 4606 | 4196 | 1279 | 4147 | 3224 | 3747 | 1933 | 2802 | 3127 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | glassy |
High Tide | 00:49AM3.14m | 1:06PM3.06m | 1:27AM2.98m | 1:42PM2.91m | 2:08AM2.81m | 2:24PM2.76m | 2:58AM2.65m | 3:15PM2.61m | 4:01AM2.53m | 4:25PM2.50m | 5:14AM2.47m | 5:45PM2.47m | |||||||
Low Tide | 7:00AM0.71m | 7:16PM0.80m | 7:37AM0.89m | 7:55PM0.97m | 8:18AM1.07m | 8:40PM1.16m | 9:05AM1.25m | 9:38PM1.32m | 10:07AM1.39m | 10:53PM1.42m | 11:25AM1.45m | 00:11AM1.42m | |||||||
 |  |  |  |  | |  |  | |  | | |  | |  | | | | | |
 | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — |
 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:23 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:29 | — |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 6 | 3 | 8 | 5 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 8 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
Feels °C | 7 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | W 10 | W 11 | NW 9 | WSW 14 | W 14 | W 16 | W 14 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | — | WSW 14 | W 14 | W 15 |
| kJ | 834 | 514 | 125 | 115 | 386 | 716 | 1065 | 733 | 791 | 1569 | 4606 | 4196 | 1077 | 4147 | 3224 | — | 765 | 2802 | 3127 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 12 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | W 18 | — | WSW 14 | NNW 8 | N 7 | W 9 | — | N 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | 3 | 145 | 98 | 6 | — | 671 | 116 | 15 | 429 | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | N 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | N 4 | — | W 9 | W 9 | — | — | — | W 9 | — | — | W 14 | W 10 | WSW 9 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 33 | — | 880 | 1157 | — | — | — | 1279 | — | — | 3747 | 1933 | 573 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 128 | 0 | 180 | 190 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 136 | 156 | 156 | 153 | 153 | 172 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in West Coast South Island | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Cobden Beach - The Channel Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Cobden Beach - The Channel provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cobden Beach - The Channel can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cobden Beach - The Channel 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 (Cobden Beach - The Channel) 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 Cobden Beach - The Channel 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.
Cobden Beach is 173 km (107 miles) from the city of Christchurch. If you plan a holiday in West Coast South Island, look for hotels and other accommodation in Christchurch. Christchurch has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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