
Surf Forecasts:
Cobden Breakwater surf forecast from 1 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 4 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 10s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 4 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, WSW swell with 1,685 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 2 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s 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 (Aug 02) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 11s. 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 3.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 8s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cobden Breakwater over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, cobber, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what the ocean’s got for us over the next couple of weeks.
We’ve got a bit of a slow start, with nothing really worth paddling out for on the Sunday. It’s flat and clean, but there’s just no push. The week kicks off proper on Monday morning though. There’s a solid jump in energy, with combined energy reading 1364, and a 4ft swell rolling in from the WSW at 18 seconds. Tuesday is where it starts to get good. The morning is looking clean, with light cross-offshore winds and a 7ft W swell at 10 seconds. The combined energy is strong at 1336. This one’s for the experienced crew—it’s got some push to it. The afternoon backs off a touch to 5ft but stays clean.
The mid-week holds some fun, smaller waves. Wednesday is a good day to get out; a 3ft W groundswell at 13 seconds with clean conditions and light winds. It’s not huge, but it’s clean and fun. Thursday drops right off, just small and ordinary. Friday picks back up a little with a 4ft NW swell.
Now, the standout of the whole window has to be Tuesday the 12th. That morning, the ocean completely lights up. We’re looking at a 10ft NW swell at 10 seconds, but the combined energy is off the charts at 2182. The wind is light and the conditions are clean. This is big, powerful surf, strictly for the experts. It’s a serious day. The afternoon, though, it just gets too big. It jumps to 15ft, and energy goes through the roof at 6627. That’s way too much for this break. It’s going to be a washing machine.
After that, things stay chunky. Thursday the 13th has a solid 5ft W swell at 10 seconds, and it’s clean. Friday the 14th morning also looks good, a 8ft NNW swell but with a shorter 9-second period. It’s powerful, but that short period might make it a bit lumpy. Saturday the 15th is a write-off—too big (10ft +) and the wind is onshore. Sunday the 16th has a promising glassy 5ft NW swell, that'll be a good one for the crew that wants it.
Through the second week, the swell drops back a bit, and things get more inconsistent. There’s a small window on the 10th and 11th with some cleaner, head-high waves, but nothing with the same power as that mid-week pulse. The very end of the run, the 17th, is poor.
So here’s the breakdown. The best of the best is that Tuesday the 12th morning—if you’re an expert and you’re keen, that’s the one. Mark it. The other solid option is Tuesday the 4th. The rest is just fun, clean, everyday surf.
The water temp is sitting at 55°, which is about normal for this time of year. No surprises there.
Keep an eye on the wind, especially on those bigger days. Stay safe.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 12°C on Mon afternoon, min 4°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun afternoon, fresh winds from the SW by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 11°C on Thu afternoon, min 5°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | |||||||||||||||
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 8 | WSW 21 | WSW 19 | WSW 18 | W 8 | WSW 9 | W 10 | W 10 | WSW 13 | W 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | W 13 | WSW 12 | NW 8 | NW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | W 19 | WSW 18 | WSW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
137 | 146 | 614 | 929 | 836 | 1477 | 961 | 479 | 599 | 339 | 198 | 77 | 89 | 49 | 98 | 243 | 346 | 376 | 180 | 326 | 300 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | glassy | glassy | on | on | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 12:59PM3.18m | 1:12AM3.25m | 1:35PM3.12m | 1:51AM3.17m | 2:15PM3.03m | 2:34AM3.07m | 3:01PM2.93m | 3:26AM2.95m | 3:58PM2.83m | 4:32AM2.86m | 5:08PM2.77m | 5:48AM2.82m | 6:28PM2.79m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:05PM0.82m | 7:27AM0.79m | 7:42PM0.85m | 8:08AM0.83m | 8:24PM0.92m | 8:52AM0.91m | 9:13PM1.01m | 9:45AM1.02m | 10:14PM1.10m | 10:49AM1.11m | 11:28PM1.15m | 12:06PM1.16m | 00:48AM1.10m | ||||||||
7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | |
— | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 11 |
Feels °C | 6 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | WSW 18 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | W 10 | W 10 | WSW 13 | W 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | W 13 | WSW 12 | NW 8 | NW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | N 8 | N 8 |
137 | 117 | 168 | 929 | 737 | 427 | 961 | 479 | 599 | 339 | 198 | 77 | 89 | 49 | 98 | 243 | 346 | 376 | 270 | 228 | 153 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 19 | — | — | — | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | W 18 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | N 4 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | WSW 12 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | W 19 | WSW 18 | WSW 15 |
70 | 66 | 614 | — | — | — | 375 | 341 | 56 | 52 | 51 | 9 | 18 | 19 | 47 | 18 | 34 | 30 | 180 | 326 | 300 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 19 | WSW 21 | — | — | — | — | — | W 20 | — | — | W 8 | WNW 8 | NNW 4 | N 4 | W 19 | WSW 11 | — | WNW 8 | WSW 12 | NW 10 | WNW 8 |
35 | 146 | — | — | — | — | — | 30 | — | — | 1 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 11 | — | 14 | 27 | 94 | 84 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 6 | — | — | WSW 7 | W 8 | WSW 9 | — | — | ESE 2 | E 3 | N 4 | — | — | — | — | E 2 | SE 2 | — | E 2 | — | E 2 |
4 | — | — | 435 | 836 | 1477 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 153 | 169 | 173 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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.











