Cobden Breakwater Surf Break

Lat Long: 42.44° S 171.20° E

Cobden Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 pm 05 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Cobden Breakwater sea temperature is
12.8°C
0.5° 

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


Cobden Breakwater surf forecast from 5 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 6 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 16s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 11 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 19s period, W swell with 15,371 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 6 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 16s period with W swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cobden Breakwater this week:

The surf forecast for Cobden Breakwater over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 16s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Cobden Breakwater in the next 16 days are 4.5m 19s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 11) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 8s period and expected on Monday (Sep 07) at 9PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 3AM (Sun 6th Sep)11ft (3.5m) 16s
Best Surf 3AM (Sun 6th Sep)11ft (3.5m) 16s
Most Powerful 3AM (Fri 11th Sep)15ft (4.5m) 19s

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


The Lowdown

G'day, Rusty here. Let's break down what's happening at Cobden Breakwater. This spot is totally open to the west and south-west, so when it's on, it's on, but when it's big, it's a beast.

Right off the bat, we've got dead air for a couple of days. Saturday the 5th is a total washout with a 13-foot swell and cross-onshore winds. Sunday morning the 6th has an 12-foot swell with a 16-second period, and while the wind is just side-shore, the word is it's too big for this spot.

Things finally settle down early in the week. Monday the 7th morning sees the swell drop to 5 feet from the WSW, and we get a clean, offshore wind from the East at 18 mph. By Monday afternoon, the wind drops to a light breeze and it's glassy clean with a 4-foot WSW swell. This is your first real window.

Tuesday the 8th stays small and clean, with a 3-foot swell and light offshore breezes in the morning. Wednesday morning the 9th is the pick of the early run. It's glassy flat calm, with a 5-foot swell from the west on a nice 12-second period. For a breakwater, that's a dream. It's a bit punchy for a beginner, but for an intermediate, that Wednesday morning is your best bet.

Then the whole thing goes sideways. From Wednesday afternoon the 9th through the weekend, the swell pumps up and the wind turns nasty from the west and south-west. We're looking at surf over 8 feet, often hitting 13 to 18 feet, with serious storm winds. This is expert-only territory, and even then, the quality is poor. Saturday the 12th is a 20-foot swell with a 12-second period. Honestly, with that much onshore wind on a beach/breakwater, it's a kite-surfing dream, not a paddle session.

There is hope further out. Sunday the 13th morning is glassy again with an 12-foot west swell. It's too big, but it's clean. The real promising stretch starts Thursday the 17th, which is over a week away. Thursday morning has a massive 18-foot west swell on a 14-second period with clean, offshore winds from the east. The report says the wind and tide are favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big. That theme continues right through to Sunday the 20th, with 11 to 20-foot swells and long periods. Even with glassy or offshore winds, these are for seasoned experts only.

So to sum it up: your first clean, rideable window is Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th for small clean waves. The standout is Wednesday morning the 9th with 5-foot glassy perfection. After that, it's a series of massive, powerful swells that are either blown out or just too big until the very end of the forecast. Keep an eye on the 17th for clean, but enormous, conditions.

Rusty, signing off.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 103mm), heaviest during Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun afternoon, min 7°C on Mon morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Sat afternoon, light winds from the NE by Tue morning).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 26mm), heaviest during Thu morning. Very mild (max 12°C on Wed morning, min 6°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue night, fresh winds from the SW by Thu afternoon).

Sat
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
!
!
3
3
2
3
3
2
2
2
3
1
1
1
0
!
!
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
4
W
15
3.5
W
16
3.5
W
16
2.5
WSW
16
1.9
WSW
15
1.4
WSW
14
1.2
WSW
14
1.4
NNW
8
1
WSW
12
1
W
12
0.8
WSW
11
1.6
W
12
1.8
W
11
1.1
WSW
11
2.2
W
9
3
W
8
4
W
14
4.5
W
18
4
W
18
5
W
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
6052
7050
5764
2979
1708
822
588
250
303
274
164
702
804
297
753
1081
6153
11848
8725
6479
Wind (km/h)
25
WNW
15
WNW
25
NNW
20
NW
20
E
30
E
10
E
10
E
10
E
10
NE
5
SSE
5
E
10
WNW
20
NW
25
NW
35
WSW
20
SSW
5
NE
35
WSW
45
WSW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
glassy
glassy
cross-on
cross
cross
on
cross-on
cross-off
on
on
High Tide
4:56PM2.74m
5:44AM2.74m
6:22PM2.77m
7:02AM2.80m
7:37PM2.91m
8:11AM2.94m
8:39PM3.09m
9:07AM3.09m
9:29PM3.26m
9:56AM3.21m
10:14PM3.38m
10:38AM3.29m
10:56PM3.42m
Low Tide
11:22PM1.18m
12:00PM1.23m
00:46AM1.10m
1:21PM1.12m
1:57AM0.94m
2:26PM0.94m
2:54AM0.74m
3:19PM0.74m
3:44AM0.57m
4:05PM0.58m
4:28AM0.46m
4:46PM0.49m
rain showers
rain showers
heavy rain
heavy rain
heavy rain
mod rain
part cloud
cloud
light rain
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
mod rain
thunderstorm
rain showers
light rain
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<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:52
6:50
6:50
6:48
6:46
6:43
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:13
6:14
6:15
6:15
6:16
6:17
6:19
 mm
3
21
12
32
24
10
1
6
6
5
5
4
2
5
Temp °C
12
12
13
14
11
9
12
8
11
11
10
12
12
10
9
9
8
10
11
9
Feels °C
7
8
8
12
9
4
9
5
9
9
9
10
8
6
3
1
1
4
4
0
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Cobden Breakwater Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Cobden Breakwater provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cobden Breakwater can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cobden Breakwater 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 Breakwater) 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 Breakwater 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 Breakwater is 172 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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