Cobden Breakwater Surf Break

Lat Long: 42.44° S 171.20° E

Cobden Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 am 31 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Cobden Breakwater sea temperature is
12.6°C
0.4° 

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 31 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, W swell with cross-onshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 31 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 12s period, WSW swell with 8,136 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 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 Tuesday (Sep 01) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 22s. The wind is predicted to be cross-onshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Cobden Breakwater in the next 16 days are 5.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)12PM (Tue 1st Sep)11ft (3.5m) 10s
Best Surf12PM (Tue 1st Sep)11ft (3.5m) 10s
Most Powerful 9PM (Mon 31st Aug)18ft (5.5m) 12s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's on the menu for Cobden Breakwater over the next couple of weeks. It's a bit of a mixed bag, so let's get into it.

The big story is that we have a serious amount of swell energy on the way, but the wind is going to be our biggest enemy for the first few days. We're looking at solid west and west-southwest swells, but the wind is mostly on it, making things messy. The water temp is sitting at 55°F, pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real standout looks like Wednesday morning, September 2. We've got a 7ft west swell rolling in with a nice 13-second period, and the wind is glassy from the northwest. That's a recipe for clean, lined-up waves. The combined swell energy is a solid 1422 (moderate energy), so there's plenty of push behind it. This is your best bet for the early part of the forecast.

Now, things get a bit wild after that. We get a spike of serious size on Thursday, September 3, and Friday, September 4, with swells pushing 13ft to 18ft and strong onshore winds. That's big, ugly, and unrideable for most of us. Honestly, that kind of wind and size starts looking more like a kite-surfing show than a paddle-out.

Then we have a few days where the swell is still pumping, but it's just too big for this break. Saturday, September 5, and Monday, September 7, have 12ft west swells with favourable winds, but the guidance specifically calls it too big for Cobden. That's a tough call for the intermediate crew.

The real gold comes in the second week. Wednesday, September 9, is looking fantastic. The swell drops to a manageable 3ft to 4ft from the west, but the period goes ballistic at 18 seconds in the afternoon. That’s a proper groundswell. The wind goes glassy (0 mph) in the afternoon, which is just pure magic. The combined swell energy is 914 (moderate energy), so even though it's small, the quality will be top-notch.

Thursday, September 10, also stands out as a top pick. We have a 7ft west swell with a 19-second period in the morning, which is incredibly long. The wind is light and offshore from the east-southeast, keeping it clean. That combined energy of 3273 (strong energy) means there's real power in the water. This is your pick for the best, cleanest, most powerful waves of the whole run, especially for the experienced surfers.

Then we get a beautiful run of glassy mornings from Friday, September 11 right through Saturday, September 12. Consistent 5ft west-southwest swells with 16-second periods and no wind. These are excellent, clean days for a confident intermediate. Expect the crowds here at Cobden to be a possibility, as it’s a reliable spot when it's on.

After that, the swell fades out into the following week, with small 3ft to 3ft waves and poor to marginal conditions. A bit of a whimper to end the run.

So, to boil it down: Wednesday morning September 2 for the first clean window, but the absolute standout is Thursday September 10 for its power, size, and perfect offshore wind. Wednesday September 9 afternoon is the sleeper pick for pure, glassy fun.

Signing off,
Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 31mm), heaviest during Wed night. Very mild (max 14°C on Wed night, min 7°C on Tue morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Mon morning, calm by Wed morning).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 65mm), heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu night, min 10°C on Fri morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Thu morning, strong winds from the NNW by Thu night).

Monday
31
Tuesday
1
Wednesday
2
Thursday
3
Friday
4
Saturday
5
Sunday
6
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
3
4
2
4
0
0
2
2
0
0
0
0
!
!
4
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)
5
W
11
5.5
WSW
12
5
WSW
12
3
W
13
3
W
13
2.4
W
13
2
W
13
1.3
WSW
14
2.3
W
9
2.4
WNW
9
1
W
14
3
NW
8
4
NW
10
5.5
W
11
4.5
W
12
3.5
W
13
3.5
W
14
3
W
16
2.2
W
16
2.5
W
16
2.5
W
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
5909
7875
7156
2849
3369
2060
1422
674
885
938
417
899
3023
6315
5849
4327
4022
4748
2444
3260
2828
Wind (km/h)
40
WSW
40
WSW
40
WSW
10
SSW
5
SW
10
WSW
5
NW
30
NW
25
WNW
10
NW
15
NNW
35
NNW
35
WNW
35
WSW
25
WSW
10
W
15
NNW
20
N
25
WSW
25
W
35
WSW
Wind State
on
on
on
cross-on
on
on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-on
on
on
on
cross
cross-off
on
on
on
High Tide
12:31PM3.27m
00:45AM3.33m
1:07PM3.21m
1:25AM3.23m
1:48PM3.10m
2:10AM3.09m
2:36PM2.97m
3:07AM2.93m
3:37PM2.83m
4:20AM2.79m
4:56PM2.74m
5:44AM2.74m
6:22PM2.77m
Low Tide
6:36PM0.67m
6:59AM0.65m
7:15PM0.73m
7:40AM0.75m
7:58PM0.84m
8:26AM0.90m
8:50PM0.99m
9:22AM1.06m
9:58PM1.12m
10:34AM1.20m
11:22PM1.18m
12:00PM1.23m
00:46AM1.10m
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
rain showers
light rain
rain showers
heavy rain
light rain
light rain
heavy rain
thunderstorm
rain showers
rain showers
light rain
rain showers
heavy rain
heavy rain
thunderstorm
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:03
7:01
7:00
6:58
6:56
6:54
6:52
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:07
6:08
6:09
6:10
6:12
6:13
6:14
 mm
2
2
1
2
2
4
2
3
13
3
3
19
5
3
6
2
2
22
22
5
3
Temp °C
10
9
9
8
10
10
13
13
14
14
14
15
11
11
10
11
12
12
12
11
9
Feels °C
2
-1
-1
5
6
6
8
7
10
12
11
9
4
3
3
8
8
8
7
6
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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