
Surf Forecasts:
Cobden Breakwater surf forecast from 11 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 15 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 15s period, W swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 15 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 15s period, W swell with 5,208 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 12 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 15s 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 Sunday (Jul 12) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 15s period. 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 3.5m 15s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 8s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Sun 12th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cobden Breakwater over the next 16 days.
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks at Cobden Breakwater.
We’ve got a solid run of surf coming through, starting this Sunday, July 12th, and it’s looking like a classic winter stretch. The water temperature is sitting pretty normal for the time of year at 56°, so no weird surprises there.
The whole week is driven by a consistent, long-period groundswell. That dominant WSW swell direction is a perfect match for this spot. The energy is moderate to strong (666), but the period is a long 15 seconds, which means these waves will have real shape and power. The wind is a light cross-off from the east on Sunday morning, keeping things clean. It’s a great start, with clean 4 ft faces.
Monday morning gets a bit messy with a rain shower and a stronger cross-off wind, and the swell drops to 2 ft. But Monday afternoon? That’s a sneaky shift. The wind turns offshore from the NE, and the swell jumps to 6 ft, though the period drops to a short 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit crumbly and less powerful. Still, clean waves.
Tuesday is a solid day. The swell is 5 ft with a 10-second period from the WNW, and the wind is light. It’s clean and very good. Tuesday afternoon, however, the swell gets bigger (7 ft) and the wind turns cross-shore, making it chopped up. That’s a pass.
The standout is Wednesday, July 15th. The morning is a bit iffy with onshore wind at 10 ft, but the afternoon is pure magic. The wind goes glassy, the swell holds at a solid 10 ft from the west with a 15-second period, and the energy is very strong (3563). This is proper, heavy groundswell. For experienced surfers, that’s your session. The wave energy is huge, and with the long period, it’s best suited to the breakwater’s structure here. Not one for learners.
Thursday and Friday are excellent for experienced surfers too, with 7 ft and 6 ft glassy or clean conditions. The energy stays high (1138-2055). The next Saturday, July 18th, also looks fantastic with a 7 ft swell from the WSW and a 16-second period, clean and strong.
The second week, from July 20th onward, is a lot quieter. The swell drops to 4 ft or less, but there are still some clean, glassy windows, like Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. The energy is weak to moderate (434-582). It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about. By the end of the month, the swell fades into tiny, weak waves, with a few odd pulses of long-period energy that just don’t have the size.
Overall, the first week is where the action is. Wednesday afternoon is the one to circle on the calendar. Crowds are rare here, so you’ll likely have it to yourself.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 62mm), heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 14°C on Tue afternoon, min 6°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Wed morning. Very mild (max 13°C on Wed afternoon, min 8°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | |||||||||||||||
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 15 | W 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | NNW 7 | NW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 12 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 14 | W 15 | W 15 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 14 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
666 | 530 | 346 | 204 | 379 | 1057 | 461 | 1220 | 4595 | 4535 | 3563 | 2506 | 2055 | 1676 | 1158 | 1138 | 1283 | 1362 | 1230 | 2428 | 1845 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross | cross | on | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-on | off | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:55PM3.16m | 9:25AM3.23m | 9:53PM3.33m | 10:23AM3.35m | 10:46PM3.47m | 11:16AM3.43m | 11:37PM3.54m | 12:06PM3.44m | 00:25AM3.54m | 12:53PM3.38m | 1:12AM3.45m | 1:39PM3.26m | 1:58AM3.31m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:41PM0.88m | 3:10AM0.75m | 3:41PM0.76m | 4:07AM0.60m | 4:35PM0.64m | 5:00AM0.50m | 5:26PM0.57m | 5:51AM0.46m | 6:14PM0.56m | 6:40AM0.50m | 7:00PM0.61m | 7:28AM0.60m | 7:45PM0.72m | ||||||||
8:02 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | |
— | 5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | |
mm | — | — | 1 | 2 | 13 | 27 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 9 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 8 |
Feels °C | 6 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 15 | W 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | W 14 | NW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 12 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 14 | W 15 | W 15 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 14 | WSW 9 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 |
666 | 530 | 346 | 204 | 100 | 1057 | 461 | 1220 | 4595 | 4535 | 3563 | 2506 | 2055 | 1676 | 1158 | 1138 | 1283 | 1362 | 463 | 2428 | 1845 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | N 4 | N 11 | — | W 13 | WSW 13 | W 18 | N 8 | — | N 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 17 | — | — |
— | — | 1 | 2 | — | 84 | 54 | 163 | 142 | — | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1230 | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | N 12 | — | — | W 22 | WSW 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 3 | — | — | 9 | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ENE 2 | N 5 | NNW 7 | — | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 3 | — | — |
— | — | 1 | 99 | 379 | — | 318 | 251 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 128 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 210 | 180 | 169 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 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.










