
Surf Forecasts:
Cobden Breakwater surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 15 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, W swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, W swell with 4,629 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 9 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 9s period with NNW 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 (Aug 09) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.2m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 15s. 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 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.9m 9s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Sat 15th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Sat 15th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cobden Breakwater over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for Cobden Breakwater. The forecast is looking pretty good over the next couple of weeks, with a few standout sessions that are going to be well worth the paddle out.
The action kicks off this Saturday, the 8th of August, with a solid start. The swell is showing 5 feet from the NW, with a period of 8 seconds, and with a light cross-off breeze and clean conditions, that’s a nice combo. The combined wave energy is a decent 567 (moderate). It’s not huge, but it’s a fun size for intermediate surfers, and the water temp is sitting at 54°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year.
Sunday the 9th is where things start to get interesting. The morning is the pick of the bunch early on. We’ve got a 7 feet swell from the NNW, with a light cross-off breeze, and the energy jumps up to 1389 (strong). This is excellent surf for experienced surfers, so if you’ve got the chops, get out there. The afternoon on Sunday turns ugly though, with a strong 16 mph cross-on wind and poor surf conditions, so don’t bother.
The next real standout is on Wednesday the 12th of August. The afternoon session is firing. We’re looking at a 7 feet groundswell from the NNW, a period of 9 seconds, and a clean offshore breeze. The energy is a solid 1017 (strong). This is another one for the experienced crew, with excellent conditions. The morning prior on Wednesday the 12th is also very good with 5 feet and clean conditions.
Hold on to your boards for the weekend of the 15th and 16th of August. Saturday the 15th is a write-off. The swell pumps up to 10 feet from the W, but with a strong onshore wind, it’s not going to be worth it for paddling. That’s big, messy, and ugly. It might be more interesting for the kite crew than for us.
However, Sunday the 16th of August morning is a real gem. The swell drops back to a clean 5 feet from the W, and the period extends to a very long 15 seconds. This is a proper groundswell, and with a light cross-off breeze, the conditions are clean. The energy is a big 1776 (strong). This is a top-tier session, but remember, a long period like that at a breakwater setup can make for some straight lines, but the wind is right, so it should be good.
Further out, the morning of Monday the 17th of August is also worth a mention. The swell is 5 feet from the W, but the wind is completely glassy. That’s a rare treat and will make for some silky smooth waves. The energy is moderate at 874, but the glassy conditions are the star.
The following week, around the 23rd of August, the Sunday morning looks promising again. Another 4 feet swell from the W, with a very long period of 17 seconds, and a light cross-off breeze. The energy is 888 (moderate). It’s a long way out, so don’t bank on it, but it has the potential to be a beautiful, clean day.
Overall, the standout sessions are the Sunday morning of the 16th of August and the glassy Monday morning of the 17th of August. The Sunday the 9th morning is also a cracker for the experienced crew. Get on it while it’s good.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 38mm), heaviest during Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 12°C on Sun afternoon, min 8°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Wed afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 10°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | ||||||||||||||
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) | NNW 8 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | W 9 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 17 | NNW 8 | NNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 9 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
298 | 820 | 655 | 766 | 509 | 435 | 423 | 295 | 222 | 165 | 293 | 359 | 675 | 494 | 562 | 773 | 530 | 368 | 516 | 1428 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | on |
High Tide | 6:28PM2.79m | 7:05AM2.87m | 7:43PM2.92m | 8:17AM2.99m | 8:48PM3.11m | 9:19AM3.15m | 9:44PM3.30m | 10:13AM3.29m | 10:33PM3.44m | 11:01AM3.37m | 11:19PM3.51m | 11:44AM3.39m | 00:02AM3.49m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:48AM1.10m | 1:25PM1.10m | 2:02AM0.96m | 2:35PM0.95m | 3:04AM0.76m | 3:33PM0.76m | 3:58AM0.58m | 4:23PM0.60m | 4:47AM0.45m | 5:09PM0.50m | 5:33AM0.40m | 5:52PM0.47m | ||||||||
— | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | |
5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | |
mm | — | 7 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Temp °C | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 11 |
Feels °C | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 8 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 10 | W 15 | W 7 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | N 7 | NNW 8 | NNW 9 | N 8 | WNW 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | NNW 8 | W 9 |
298 | 820 | 655 | 466 | 322 | 435 | 178 | 295 | 222 | 165 | 127 | 359 | 675 | 392 | 562 | 773 | 530 | 368 | 42 | 1428 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 14 | WSW 15 | WNW 9 | W 14 | W 16 | N 9 | W 14 | W 6 | N 8 | N 8 | WSW 17 | W 16 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | WSW 14 | W 16 | W 18 |
106 | 225 | 484 | 181 | 509 | 173 | 423 | 47 | 49 | 44 | 293 | 126 | 270 | 494 | 114 | 68 | 69 | 163 | 135 | 408 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 18 | W 19 | WSW 14 | W 18 | — | — | N 9 | N 8 | W 6 | W 18 | — | WNW 13 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WNW 13 | W 17 | WSW 16 | N 7 | WSW 13 | — |
163 | 186 | 250 | 158 | — | — | 130 | 71 | 19 | 165 | — | 69 | 72 | 40 | 187 | 149 | 253 | 34 | 101 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | W 9 | W 7 | W 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 3 | — | — | — | W 9 | — |
— | — | — | 766 | 377 | 312 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | 516 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 168 | 153 | 122 | 85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 80 | 153 |
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.











