
Surf Forecasts:
Cobden Breakwater surf forecast from 7 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 12 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, WSW swell with onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 11 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 19s period, W swell with 6,002 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 14s period with WSW 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 Monday (Sep 07) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 1.3m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cobden Breakwater in the next 16 days are 3.0m 19s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 11) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 8s period and expected on Monday (Sep 07) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 5ft (1.5m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Sat 12th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Fri 11th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cobden Breakwater over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here, and we’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead at Cobden Breakwater. The pattern starts with clean, manageable waves, builds into a real standout session for the experienced crew, then gets a bit wild and woolly before offering another taste of quality toward the end. The water’s sitting at 55°, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.
The first real action kicks off Monday morning, the 7th September. It’s a little cloudy, with a cross-off ESE breeze at 12 mph, and we’ve got a 5 ft swell from the WSW, wrapping in at a long 14 seconds. The combined energy is pumping at 1182, so there’s some serious grunt, but it’s a bit beginner-heavy and the tide might be a question mark. Monday afternoon cleans right up—clear skies, an offshore E wind at 6 mph, and the swell drops slightly to 5 ft, still from the WSW with that same 14-second period. This is excellent for experienced surfers, with the wind keeping things tidy.
Tuesday the 8th is glassy, pure magic. Both morning and afternoon see a slight air, with the swell dropping to 4 ft and 3 ft, coming from the west at 12 seconds. The energy is moderate, around 458 and 363, and the glassy conditions are a major positive—clean, smooth, and easy paddling. Good for a relaxed session on a smaller board.
Wednesday the 9th kicks off with a glassy morning again, some clouds, and a 4 ft WSW swell at 10 seconds, energy at 530. The afternoon gets a bit lumpy with a light cross-on from the WNW, so the morning is your pick.
Now, Thursday the 10th is a write-off—strong onshore SW winds at 16 mph and rain, with the swell building to 8 ft. The energy jumps to 2809, but it’s messy and blown out. Not worth it.
But hold onto your board, because Friday the 11th is the standout. Friday morning sees a cloudy sky, a light cross-off E breeze at 3 mph, and a 10 ft swell from the west with a very long 18-second period. That’s groundswell of the highest order, and the combined energy is a massive 5682. This is exceptional surf, but it’s only for experts—over 8 ft and that long period means it’ll be breaking a bit straight at a beach break, so it’s better suited to the point or reef, but the wind is clean. Friday afternoon is similar, with a light offshore E wind and a 10 ft west swell at 17 seconds, energy at 4641. Still excellent, but still for the experienced.
Saturday the 12th is too big—12 ft in the morning, onshore SW wind, and the system says it’s too much for this break. Sunday the 13th and Monday the 14th are onshore and messy, with moderate swells but poor conditions.
Tuesday the 15th brings a reprieve: morning has a cross-off NNE breeze at 3 mph, a 5 ft west swell at 14 seconds, and energy at 780. Clean and very good, but the afternoon turns cross-shore and lumpy.
Wednesday the 16th and Thursday the 17th are a loss—strong onshore winds, rain, and even a risk of thunderstorms, with swell up to 8 ft. The energy is moderate but conditions are poor.
Now, another highlight: Friday the 18th morning. Some clouds, a light cross-off east breeze at 3 mph, and a 8 ft west swell with a 15-second period. Energy sits at 3464, and it’s excellent for experienced surfers. The wind is clean, but the swell is big, so keep it for the confident crew.
After that, Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th are blown out again with strong winds and big, messy swell. The 21st and 22nd show a final hope: Tuesday the 22nd morning is glassy, with an ESE wind at 0 mph, a 8 ft west swell at a very long 17 seconds, and energy at 4182. That’s excellent for experts, with glassy conditions, but it’s a big groundswell that might be tricky at the beach. Still, the calm wind makes it a worthy note.
Best on offer: Friday the 11th morning, with that 10 ft west swell, 18-second period, and light offshore wind. It’s the standout for the experienced. Second pick: Tuesday the 22nd morning, if you can wait, with glassy conditions and a big groundswell.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 12°C on Mon afternoon, min 6°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 11°C on Sat night, min 4°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri afternoon, fresh winds from the WSW by Sat night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 10 | W 12 | W 12 | W 9 | WSW 10 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | W 19 | W 18 | W 17 | WSW 10 | W 11 | WSW 10 | W 16 | W 9 | W 9 | W 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
966 | 815 | 250 | 353 | 284 | 103 | 370 | 407 | 331 | 1038 | 2297 | 3303 | 5682 | 4641 | 2062 | 2595 | 1544 | 1404 | 1198 | 1099 | 1088 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | on | on | cross-off | cross-off | off | on | on | on | on | on | on | on |
High Tide | 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 | 11:18AM3.31m | 11:35PM3.38m | 11:55AM3.27m | 00:12AM3.28m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 5:08AM0.43m | 5:25PM0.47m | 5:47AM0.47m | 6:03PM0.53m | ||||||||
6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | |
— | 6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:17 | — | — | 6:19 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:21 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Temp °C | 11 | 12 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
Feels °C | 6 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 10 | W 12 | W 12 | W 9 | WSW 10 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 16 | WSW 20 | W 19 | W 18 | W 17 | W 16 | W 11 | W 15 | W 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | W 9 |
966 | 815 | 250 | 353 | 284 | 103 | 370 | 407 | 331 | 1038 | 512 | 3303 | 5682 | 4641 | 1314 | 2595 | 1297 | 1404 | 1016 | 978 | 707 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | NW 8 | WSW 13 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | WSW 11 | NW 8 | WSW 19 | W 18 | W 21 | — | WSW 9 | — | — | — | WSW 16 | — | — | — | — | W 15 |
216 | 227 | 222 | 80 | 53 | 97 | 33 | 119 | 156 | 233 | — | 589 | — | — | — | 628 | — | — | — | — | 1088 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 8 | — | N 8 | W 18 | NW 10 | NNW 8 | WSW 20 | NW 8 | NNW 8 | NW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
131 | — | 57 | 25 | 25 | 48 | 127 | 17 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 3 | — | — | ENE 2 | SW 2 | — | — | — | — | W 6 | WSW 14 | — | — | — | WSW 10 | — | WSW 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | — |
6 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 182 | 2297 | — | — | — | 2062 | — | 1544 | 961 | 1198 | 1099 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 122 | 85 | 169 | 169 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 153 | 153 | 156 | 153 | 153 | 220 | 156 |
Best forecast wave conditions in West Coast South Island | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.










