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Surf Forecasts:
Farewell Spit surfForecast / Nelson – West Coast / New Zealand
48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 am 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
16.0° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)How big are the waves at Farewell Spit today?
The current surf forecast for Farewell Spit at 3PM is: 0.5m 13s primary swell from a West direction and 0.1m 20s secondary swell from a West direction (forecast issued at 11:00am May 20). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-onshore.
| Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (20 May) | 2ft (0.6m) | 13s |
| Afternoon (20 May) | 1.5ft (0.5m) | 13s |
| Evening (20 May) | 1.5ft (0.5m) | 13s |
Table - waves today at Farewell Spit. (Swell directed towards the surf break)
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Fri morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu afternoon, min 12°C on Wed morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NNW on Thu morning, calm by Fri afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed 20 | Thursday 21 | Friday 22 | Sat 23 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 | 9 PM | 12 AM | 3 AM | 6 AM | |
Swell Height Map |    |    |    |    | ||||||||||||||||||||
W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | N 7 | N 7 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | WNW 12 | W 12 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | W 12 | W 13 | |
125 | 123 | 87 | 85 | 84 | 52 | 97 | 201 | 308 | 439 | 491 | 426 | 395 | 300 | 377 | 284 | 244 | 279 | 204 | 200 | 164 | 121 | 295 | 255 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross | |
High Tide | 12:28PM3.19m | 00:55AM3.30m | 1:23PM3.02m | 1:51AM3.14m | 2:22PM2.84m | 2:51AM2.98m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 6:20AM0.11m | 6:40PM0.18m | 7:15AM0.24m | 7:35PM0.34m | 8:13AM0.40m | 8:33PM0.51m | ||||||||||||||||||
 | | |  |  | |  | |  | |  |  |  | | | |  | | | | | | | | |
 | 7:31 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:35 |
 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | — | — | 5:15 |
— | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 12 | W 12 | W 12 | WNW 14 | NW 14 | WNW 14 | WNW 13 | NNW 7 | W 12 | NNW 7 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | W 12 | W 13 |
 kJ | 125 | 123 | 87 | 85 | 84 | 52 | 51 | 47 | 26 | 25 | 21 | 51 | 116 | 187 | 208 | 284 | 114 | 279 | 204 | 200 | 151 | 121 | 295 | 255 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 20 | W 20 | W 20 | W 20 | W 21 | W 19 | W 19 | W 19 | W 19 | W 18 | W 12 | W 18 | NW 12 | NW 11 | WNW 12 | NW 11 | W 11 | N 6 | NW 10 | NW 9 | W 10 | W 10 | NNW 8 | W 15 |
| kJ | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 28 | 28 | 25 | 11 | 25 | 35 | 58 | 377 | 168 | 244 | 66 | 136 | 106 | 164 | 90 | 103 | 110 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 16 | — | W 18 | W 12 | W 18 | W 18 | W 16 | W 16 | NW 10 | NW 10 | N 7 | N 6 | ESE 4 | W 12 | NW 16 | N 12 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | 25 | 11 | 25 | 24 | 47 | 21 | 150 | 138 | 43 | 26 | 3 | 105 | 10 | 3 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 2 | NW 2 | — | N 3 | N 4 | N 5 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | N 7 | N 7 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | — | NNW 7 | E 3 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | — | — | WNW 3 | NW 8 |
| kJ | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 11 | 48 | 97 | 201 | 308 | 439 | 491 | 426 | 395 | 300 | — | 145 | 2 | 5 | 21 | 12 | — | — | 6 | 153 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 26 | 39 | 26 | 26 | 39 | 115 | 115 | 91 | 93 | 90 | 83 | 83 | 90 | 91 | 91 | 39 | 91 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 115 | 91 | 92 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Nelson - West Coast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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