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Surf Forecasts:
Farewell Spit surfForecast / Nelson – West Coast / New Zealand
48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 pm Wednesday 20 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
15.9° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)How big are the waves at Farewell Spit today?
The current surf forecast for Farewell Spit at 7AM is: 1.6m 6s primary swell from a North-northwest direction and 0.3m 12s secondary swell from a West direction, 0.2m 19s secondary swell from a West direction (forecast issued at 11:00pm May 20). The wind direction is predicted to be onshore.
| Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (21 May) | 6ft (1.8m) | 7s |
| Afternoon (21 May) | 6ft (1.8m) | 7s |
| Evening (21 May) | 5ft (1.5m) | 7s |
Table - waves today at Farewell Spit. (Swell directed towards the surf break)
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu night, min 13°C on Fri morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NNW on Thu morning, calm by Fri afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 21 | Friday 22 | Saturday 23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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 13 | W 13 | W 13 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | N 7 | N 7 | NNW 7 | N 7 | NNW 7 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | W 11 | W 10 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | W 12 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | |
84 | 52 | 57 | 161 | 276 | 302 | 311 | 220 | 238 | 208 | 283 | 189 | 205 | 188 | 210 | 210 | 158 | 140 | 247 | 411 | 405 | 377 | 276 | 215 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | |
High Tide | 00:55AM3.30m | 1:23PM3.02m | 1:51AM3.14m | 2:22PM2.84m | 2:51AM2.98m | 3:26PM2.70m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 6:40PM0.18m | 7:15AM0.24m | 7:35PM0.34m | 8:13AM0.40m | 8:33PM0.51m | 9:15AM0.53m | ||||||||||||||||||
 |  |  | |  | |  | | | |  |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | — | — |
 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:15 | — |
— | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
10 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 7 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 12 | W 12 | W 12 | NW 14 | NNE 7 | N 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | N 7 | NNW 7 | W 11 | W 10 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | W 12 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 |
 kJ | 84 | 52 | 51 | 47 | 26 | 25 | 33 | 85 | 238 | 208 | 151 | 94 | 84 | 188 | 210 | 210 | 158 | 140 | 247 | 411 | 405 | 377 | 276 | 215 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 21 | W 19 | W 19 | W 19 | W 19 | NW 15 | W 12 | NW 14 | WNW 14 | WNW 13 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | NNW 7 | N 7 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | N 6 | NNW 11 |
| kJ | 8 | 7 | 7 | 28 | 28 | 9 | 11 | 50 | 80 | 154 | 283 | 189 | 205 | 75 | 56 | 159 | 156 | 133 | 113 | 113 | 82 | 61 | 19 | 45 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | NW 16 | W 18 | W 18 | W 18 | NW 12 | NW 11 | W 16 | NW 11 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 10 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | W 15 | NW 15 | N 12 | N 13 | NNW 9 | N 6 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 10 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 34 | 29 | 21 | 112 | 87 | 96 | 77 | 45 | 38 | 99 | 113 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 29 | 12 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 4 | N 4 | N 5 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | N 7 | N 7 | NNW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | E 3 | — | — | — | NW 3 | WNW 3 | WNW 3 | WNW 3 | — | — | ESE 3 |
| kJ | 4 | 19 | 57 | 161 | 276 | 302 | 311 | 220 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 2 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 26 | 115 | 115 | 115 | 93 | 93 | 90 | 90 | 39 | 26 | 17 | 0 | 17 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 92 | 115 | 92 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 26 | 39 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Nelson - West Coast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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