Farewell Spit surf break

Farewell Spit surfForecast / Nelson – West Coast / New Zealand

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 am Thursday 23 Apr 2026 NZST
Forecast 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
16.9° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)

How big are the waves at Farewell Spit today?

The current surf forecast for Farewell Spit at 3PM is: 0.4m 18s primary swell from a West direction and 0.4m 4s secondary swell from a East direction (forecast issued at 11:00am April 23). An open ocean swell of 0.4m 4s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be cross-onshore.

Time (NZST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (23 Apr)1ft (0.3m)18s
Afternoon (23 Apr)1.5ft (0.4m)18s
Evening (23 Apr)2ft (0.6m)16s

Table - waves today at Farewell Spit. (Swell directed towards the surf break)


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Fri afternoon, min 11°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light.

Thu
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sun
26
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
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
Swell
Height Map
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span>
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span>
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span>
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span>
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
W
18
0.4
W
18
0.4
W
18
0.4
W
17
0.6
W
16
0.6
W
16
0.5
W
16
0.5
W
15
0.6
W
14
0.6
W
14
0.5
W
14
0.5
W
14
0.5
W
13
0.4
WSW
13
0.4
W
18
0.5
W
18
0.7
W
16
0.8
W
16
0.9
W
15
0.9
W
15
0.9
W
14
0.8
W
14
0.8
W
14
0.7
W
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
58
97
96
86
181
178
119
106
146
144
99
100
89
57
102
154
252
321
357
339
325
249
229
165
Wind (km/h)
15
ESE
15
E
10
ENE
0
N
0
WSW
5
SSW
5
SSW
10
SSW
5
S
5
NNW
15
W
20
WSW
10
SSW
10
SSE
5
SSW
10
W
10
SSE
5
E
0
W
5
SSE
5
S
5
W
15
WSW
20
WSW
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
glassy
glassy
glassy
off
off
glassy
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
glassy
glassy
cross-off
glassy
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
2:31PM2.78m
3:04AM2.86m
3:42PM2.61m
4:19AM2.74m
5:02PM2.55m
5:35AM2.73m
Low Tide
8:21AM0.50m
8:45PM0.60m
9:30AM0.66m
9:56PM0.75m
10:46AM0.73m
11:13PM0.79m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:05
7:07
7:07
7:09
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:47
5:45
5:45
5:44
Temp °C
11
11
12
12
12
12
11
11
11
12
14
13
13
13
12
12
12
12
14
13
13
13
13
13
7
7
9
10
10
10
9
9
10
11
11
9
11
11
11
10
10
11
14
12
12
12
10
9
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
W
13
0.4
W
18
0.4
W
18
0.4
W
17
0.6
W
16
0.6
W
16
0.5
W
16
0.5
W
15
0.6
W
14
0.6
W
14
0.5
W
14
0.5
W
14
0.5
W
13
0.4
WSW
13
0.4
WSW
13
0.5
W
18
0.7
W
16
0.8
W
16
0.9
W
15
0.9
W
15
0.9
W
14
0.8
W
14
0.8
W
14
0.7
W
13
Energy kJ
28
97
96
86
181
178
119
106
146
144
99
100
89
57
56
154
252
321
357
339
325
249
229
165
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
W
18
0.3
W
13
0.4
E
4
0.4
E
4
0.3
E
4
0.3
E
4
0.3
W
12
0.3
W
12
0.2
E
3
0.1
N
13
0.1
N
13
0.1
N
13
0.3
WSW
4
0.3
WSW
4
0.4
W
18
0.4
WSW
13
0.4
WSW
13
0.4
WSW
5
0.5
W
5
0.8
W
5
0.8
W
6
0.7
W
7
0.6
W
7
0.1
N
16
Energy kJ
58
29
6
6
3
3
25
25
1
3
3
3
3
4
102
56
55
7
11
37
51
44
34
5
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.2
WSW
7
0.1
SW
7
0.4
WSW
13
0.3
W
13
0.1
W
6
0.1
W
6
0.3
E
4
0.2
E
4
0.1
W
5
0.1
W
5
0.1
W
21
0.1
W
20
0.2
W
20
0.3
WSW
4
0.2
W
4
0.3
W
4
0.1
N
12
0.1
N
12
0.1
N
12
0.1
N
12
0.1
N
12
0.1
N
12
0.1
N
12
Energy kJ
4
2
55
29
1
1
2
1
1
1
9
8
30
4
1
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
E
4
0.5
E
4
0.4
ESE
4
0.2
W
5
0.6
W
7
Energy kJ
9
8
6
2
34
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Distance (km)
0
0
166
0
0
0
0
0
0
147
177
115
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
115
115
Best forecast wave conditions in Nelson - West Coast
Rating
(10 max)
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
3
3
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand
Rating
(10 max)
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
3
3
4
3
3
6
9
4
5
4
3
3
7
3
3
3
4
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
9
9
6
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
6
9
5
5
4
5
5
7
4
5
4
4
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder

Eyeball surf reportRecent Eyeball Surf Reports for Nelson - West Coast

  1. Long period small swell on the west coast reefs on Wednesday. Just waist to shoulder high fun. Hardly a breath of wind, just as forecast. Glorious autumn blye sky day.

    Anatori River, 39 km away
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