Surf Forecasts:
Cobden Beach - The Channel surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 31 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 13s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 31 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 13s period, W swell with 8,467 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 31 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 13s period with W 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 Friday (Jul 31) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 4.5m and 13s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cobden Beach - The Channel in the next 16 days are 5.0m 13s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 31) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Friday (Aug 07) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Fri 31st Jul) | 15ft (4.5m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Fri 31st Jul) | 15ft (4.5m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Fri 31st Jul) | 16ft (5.0m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cobden Beach - The Channel over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright mates, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s going on at Cobden Beach – The Channel for the next couple of weeks. It’s a mixed bag, so we gotta pick our spots.
We start off ugly. Friday the 31st of July is a complete mess. A fresh cross-onshore blow is tearing up a huge, lumpy 15-foot swell. The energy is massive at 4103. No one’s surfing that.
The first real chance comes Saturday the 1st of August. Saturday morning the wind cleans right up, going offshore from the ESE at 9 mph, wrapping up that big W swell into a still solid 7ft wave with an 11-second interval. The energy is a moderate 960. It’ll be clean and have some real push.
Sunday the 2nd is a tale of two sessions. Morning is a slight 3ft under clean cross-off winds, nothing crazy. But Sunday afternoon, we get a tiny 1ft glassy wave with a crazy long 21-second period. The energy is weak at 305, but a glassy surface is gold. With that period, it might be a bit straight, but could line up nice at The Channel.
Monday the 3rd is a hard pass. Swell jumps back to 8ft, but it's getting smashed by strong cross-onshore winds. Too big and too rough. Tuesday the 4th is a hidden gem. Morning brings a clean 4ft WSW swell with a 15-second period and light cross-off winds. Solid energy at 867. That’ll be a fun, clean session.
The rest of the first week and into the second is mostly small and clean. You got a short-period 6ft bump on the 6th that’s clean in the morning, but otherwise it’s knee-to-waist high with energy mostly under 500. Some glassy afternoons on the 11th and 12th are perfect for a foamie.
The big standout is Friday the 14th of August. That morning delivers a proper 7ft W swell with a 12-second period, clean ESE cross-off winds at 10 mph, and energy of 1611. It’s got the juice and it’s clean. This one is for experienced surfers only, no doubt.
The last day, Saturday the 15th of August, looks good too. A clean 3ft W groundswell with a 17-second period and light winds, energy at 984. A solid way to finish the period.
The session to circle on the calendar is Friday morning the 14th. That’s the one.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 12°C on Thu night, min 3°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Fri morning, calm by Sun afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Mon morning. Very mild (max 12°C on Mon morning, min 7°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||
Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | ||||||||||||||
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) | NW 10 | W 10 | W 13 | W 13 | W 11 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | WSW 21 | WSW 19 | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | WSW 15 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | WSW 12 | W 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1559 | 4103 | 8467 | 4536 | 951 | 434 | 256 | 137 | 146 | 614 | 795 | 1017 | 777 | 543 | 1048 | 591 | 334 | 155 | 49 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:30PM3.27m | 11:50AM3.21m | 00:03AM3.30m | 12:24PM3.21m | 00:37AM3.29m | 12:59PM3.18m | 1:12AM3.25m | 1:35PM3.12m | 1:51AM3.17m | 2:15PM3.03m | 2:34AM3.07m | 3:01PM2.93m | |||||||
Low Tide | 5:41AM0.90m | 5:57PM0.87m | 6:15AM0.83m | 6:30PM0.83m | 6:50AM0.79m | 7:05PM0.82m | 7:27AM0.79m | 7:42PM0.85m | 8:08AM0.83m | 8:24PM0.92m | 8:52AM0.91m | 9:13PM1.01m | |||||||
 |  | |  |  | |  |  |  |  |  | | | | |  | | | | |
 | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — |
 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — |
mm | 14 | 5 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
Feels °C | 8 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 13 | — | — | W 13 | W 11 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | WSW 18 | WSW 17 | W 9 | W 8 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | WSW 12 | W 8 |
| kJ | 277 | — | — | 4536 | 951 | 434 | 256 | 137 | 95 | 181 | 790 | 618 | 777 | 324 | 1048 | 591 | 334 | 155 | 49 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 18 | — | — | — | W 22 | WSW 13 | W 20 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 19 | — | — | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | W 20 | W 18 | WSW 16 | WNW 8 | WSW 11 |
| kJ | 307 | — | — | — | 9 | 54 | 8 | 70 | 64 | 614 | — | — | 540 | 543 | 30 | 56 | 52 | 44 | 43 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | W 22 | N 7 | WSW 19 | WSW 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 9 | WSW 16 | N 4 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 1 | 35 | 146 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 51 | 3 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 10 | W 10 | W 13 | — | SE 3 | — | — | — | — | — | W 8 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 2 |
| kJ | 1559 | 4103 | 8467 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 795 | 1017 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 190 | 153 | 153 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 153 | 181 | 122 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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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