Surf Forecasts:
Cobden Breakwater surf forecast from 22 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 15s period, W swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 13s period, W swell with 9,301 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 22 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 10s 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 Wednesday (Jul 22) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cobden Breakwater in the next 16 days are 5.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 10s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Sat 25th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 18ft (5.5m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cobden Breakwater over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s check the Cobden Breakwater forecast.
The surf starts building through the second half of the week. Wednesday morning the 22nd kicks off with a clean 3ft west swell, 10-second period, light offshore wind. Water temp is 55°, right on average. Energy is moderate (248). Easy paddling.
Thursday morning the 23rd is a standout. Swell hits 5ft from the west, but the period jumps to 13 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. Light offshore wind. Energy jumps to 683. The waves will have shape and power. Longer lulls, but cleaner.
Friday morning the 24th goes to 7ft, but the period drops to 8 seconds and the wind is cross-shore. Energy is 1012, but it’s messy. Only for the experienced.
Saturday morning the 25th is a washout: 13ft with onshore wind. But Saturday afternoon – the wind goes glassy, swell is 12ft from the west, period is a very long 15 seconds. Energy is massive (5715). That’s huge and for experts only.
Sunday the 26th is excellent. Morning has 7ft, 14 seconds, cross-offshore wind, energy 1581. Afternoon goes glassy, same size, 13 seconds. Clean, powerful, and crowds are rare at Cobden Breakwater.
Monday the 27th stays good. Morning 5ft, offshore. Afternoon glassy, 5ft. Energy moderate (594-699).
Into the second week, Tuesday the 28th has 4ft, glassy in the afternoon. Wednesday the 29th bumps up but wind turns onshore. Thursday the 30th is too big again – 8ft to 12ft – with tricky wind. Friday the 31st morning is a sleeper: 7ft, 14 seconds, cross-offshore, clean. Energy 1657. Good for advanced.
From August 1st, swell drops. Saturday the 1st is small, 3ft. Sunday the 2nd is tiny, 2ft, but the afternoon has a long 15-second period and clean conditions. Monday the 3rd is a nice surprise: 3ft, 15 seconds, and Tuesday afternoon goes glassy with 4ft at 16 seconds. Energy moderate (911). Small but clean.
The last days – 4th to 6th of August – stay small, 2ft to 3ft, with long periods (15 to 22 seconds) and offshore or cross-off wind. Energy stays moderate (285-707). Great for a longboard or small-wave board.
Best bets: Thursday morning the 23rd for the building groundswell and offshore wind. Sunday the 26th for solid size and glassy conditions. Experienced crew, Saturday afternoon’s 12ft glassy set is a beast.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 63mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 13°C on Wed afternoon, min 8°C on Fri night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Mild temperatures (max 9°C on Sat afternoon, min 3°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Sat morning, calm by Mon afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | 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) | W 10 | W 10 | WSW 13 | W 13 | W 13 | WNW 7 | NW 8 | WSW 12 | W 16 | W 13 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 12 | W 12 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 204 | 235 | 700 | 683 | 643 | 443 | 557 | 692 | 2237 | 9301 | 6206 | 3188 | 1744 | 1408 | 1265 | 986 | 678 | 459 | 367 | 373 | 588 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | glassy | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | on | on | on | on | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross-off | glassy | glassy |
High Tide | 4:57PM2.70m | 5:33AM2.71m | 6:01PM2.66m | 6:36AM2.69m | 7:06PM2.69m | 7:37AM2.74m | 8:07PM2.77m | 8:32AM2.83m | 8:58PM2.89m | 9:20AM2.94m | 9:42PM3.01m | 10:02AM3.04m | 10:21PM3.12m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:43AM1.29m | 11:14PM1.37m | 11:43AM1.41m | 00:20AM1.44m | 12:49PM1.46m | 1:25AM1.45m | 1:53PM1.45m | 2:22AM1.40m | 2:49PM1.37m | 3:11AM1.31m | 3:35PM1.26m | 3:53AM1.21m | 4:15PM1.15m | ||||||||
 | |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | | | |  | | | |  |  | | | | |
 | 7:54 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — |
 | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — |
mm | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | 24 | 6 | 16 | 12 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 11 |
Feels °C | 11 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | W 10 | WSW 13 | W 13 | W 13 | WSW 12 | W 9 | NW 8 | NNW 8 | — | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 12 | W 12 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | — |
| kJ | 204 | 235 | 700 | 683 | 643 | 198 | 229 | 427 | 193 | — | 6206 | 3188 | 1744 | 1408 | 1265 | 986 | 678 | 459 | 367 | 373 | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 10 | WSW 13 | N 10 | N 8 | N 8 | — | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | — | — |
| kJ | 17 | 125 | 7 | 5 | 5 | — | 228 | 692 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 128 | 43 | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 15 | N 10 | — | — | — | — | W 19 | W 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 16 | — | — |
| kJ | 44 | 17 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 158 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 7 | NW 8 | — | W 16 | W 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 8 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 443 | 557 | — | 2237 | 9301 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 588 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 216 | 238 | 210 | 122 | 153 | 216 | 180 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 0 | 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 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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