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Surf Forecasts:
Farewell Spit surfForecast / Nelson – West Coast / New Zealand
48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 pm Sunday 17 May 2026 NZSTForecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Farewell Spit surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Farewell Spit sea temperature is
15.8° C
(Which is normal for this time of year)How big are the waves at Farewell Spit today?
The current surf forecast for Farewell Spit at 4AM is: 0.7m 14s primary swell from a West direction and 0.1m 21s secondary swell from a West direction (forecast issued at 11:00pm May 17). An open ocean swell of 0.6m 4s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be cross-offshore and the swell rating is 2.
| Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (18 May) | 2ft (0.6m) | 14s |
| Afternoon (18 May) | 1.5ft (0.5m) | 13s |
| Evening (18 May) | 1.5ft (0.5m) | 17s |
Table - waves today at Farewell Spit. (Swell directed towards the surf break)
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 12°C on Sun night, min 9°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon night, fresh winds from the W by Wed morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 18 | Tuesday 19 | Wednesday 20 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
9 PM | 12 AM | 3 AM | 6 AM | 9 AM | 12 PM | 3 PM | 6 PM | 9 PM | 12 AM | 3 AM | 6 AM | 9 AM | 12 PM | 3 PM | 6 PM | 9 PM | 12 AM | 3 AM | 6 AM | 9 AM | 12 PM | 3 PM | 6 PM | |
Swell Height Map |  |    |    |    | ||||||||||||||||||||
W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | WNW 18 | W 17 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | |
282 | 202 | 199 | 196 | 140 | 131 | 85 | 103 | 154 | 132 | 243 | 240 | 225 | 202 | 202 | 199 | 199 | 146 | 138 | 127 | 125 | 87 | 88 | 85 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | glassy | off | off | glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | |
High Tide | 10:24PM3.47m | 10:46AM3.39m | 11:12PM3.48m | 11:36AM3.32m | 00:02AM3.42m | 12:28PM3.19m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 4:38AM-0.00m | 4:59PM-0.04m | 5:28AM0.02m | 5:49PM0.04m | 6:20AM0.11m | |||||||||||||||||||
 | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | — | — |
 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:16 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 17 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 |
 kJ | 282 | 202 | 199 | 196 | 140 | 131 | 85 | 84 | 154 | 132 | 243 | 240 | 225 | 202 | 202 | 199 | 199 | 146 | 138 | 127 | 125 | 87 | 88 | 85 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 16 | NW 15 | W 21 | W 21 | W 20 | W 19 | E 4 | WNW 18 | W 13 | W 13 | — | — | — | — | — | W 22 | W 21 | W 21 | — | — | W 20 | W 20 | W 20 | W 20 |
| kJ | 24 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 30 | 30 | 5 | 103 | 85 | 56 | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 9 | 9 | — | — | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | W 20 | W 19 | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | ENE 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 62 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 4 | E 5 | E 5 | E 4 | E 4 | E 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 3 | W 3 | W 4 | W 3 | W 3 | W 3 | W 3 | WNW 3 | WNW 3 |
| kJ | 14 | 21 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 167 | 115 | 115 | 115 | 115 | 115 | 115 | 115 | 115 | 91 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Nelson - West Coast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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