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Surf Forecasts:
Farewell Spit surfForecast / Nelson – West Coast / New Zealand
48hr Weather and Surf, issued 5 pm Tuesday 12 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
16.3° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)How big are the waves at Farewell Spit today?
The current surf forecast for Farewell Spit at 12AM is: 0.6m 13s primary swell from a West direction and 0.8m 8s secondary swell from a West direction (forecast issued at 05:00pm May 12). An open ocean swell of 0.6m 4s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be glassy and the swell rating is 2.
| Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (13 May) | - | - |
| Afternoon (13 May) | 2.5ft (0.8m) | 13s |
| Evening (13 May) | 2.5ft (0.7m) | 13s |
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 14°C on Tue night, min 11°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tue 12 | Wednesday 13 | Thursday 14 | Fri 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 | 9 PM | 12 AM | 3 AM | 6 AM | 9 AM | 12 PM | |
Swell Height Map |    |    |    |    | ||||||||||||||||||||
W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | WSW 14 | W 20 | W 19 | W 18 | W 18 | W 17 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | |
212 | 161 | 161 | 123 | 361 | 383 | 383 | 366 | 308 | 477 | 463 | 398 | 741 | 724 | 526 | 406 | 401 | 396 | 291 | 272 | 203 | 203 | 200 | 181 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | |
High Tide | 6:18PM2.64m | 6:38AM2.83m | 7:13PM2.84m | 7:31AM3.01m | 8:03PM3.05m | 8:20AM3.18m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 00:27AM0.72m | 12:59PM0.48m | 1:21AM0.53m | 1:49PM0.29m | 2:12AM0.34m | |||||||||||||||||||
 |  | | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | | |
 | — | — | — | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:28 | — | — |
 | 5:24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:22 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
9 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | W 8 | W 13 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | W 19 | W 18 | W 18 | W 17 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 |
 kJ | 86 | 79 | 72 | 82 | 361 | 383 | 383 | 366 | 304 | 250 | 463 | 398 | 741 | 724 | 526 | 406 | 401 | 396 | 291 | 272 | 203 | 203 | 200 | 181 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | E 4 | W 24 | W 23 | W 21 | W 21 | W 20 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | E 5 | E 5 | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | — | NE 10 | E 4 | E 4 | E 4 | E 4 | W 14 |
| kJ | 212 | 161 | 161 | 123 | 9 | 175 | 169 | 323 | 308 | 477 | 254 | 181 | 25 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | 4 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 4 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 12 | N 12 | N 11 | E 4 | W 26 | N 11 | N 11 | N 11 | N 11 | N 11 | N 11 | E 5 | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | — | — | — | N 10 | N 10 | — | — | — |
| kJ | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 51 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | ESE 3 | ESE 3 | E 4 | E 4 | E 4 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 4 | E 5 | — | — | — | — | — | NE 10 | E 4 | — | — | — | — | E 4 |
| kJ | — | 1 | 4 | 11 | 17 | 20 | 46 | 62 | 53 | 31 | 20 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 2 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 39 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Nelson - West Coast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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