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Surf Forecasts:
Farewell Spit surfForecast / Nelson – West Coast / New Zealand
48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 pm Thursday 21 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 5AM is: 0.9m 12s primary swell from a West-northwest direction and 1.0m 7s secondary swell from a North direction (forecast issued at 11:00pm May 21). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-offshore and the swell rating is 2.
| Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (22 May) | 3ft (0.9m) | 11s |
| Afternoon (22 May) | 3.5ft (1.0m) | 10s |
| Evening (22 May) | 3ft (0.9m) | 10s |
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 16°C on Thu night, min 13°C on Fri morning). Winds increasing (calm on Thu night, fresh winds from the ESE by Sat afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 22 | Saturday 23 | Sunday 24 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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 |  |    |    |    | ||||||||||||||||||||
NNW 7 | NNW 7 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | NNW 9 | W 12 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 20 | W 19 | W 18 | W 17 | W 17 | W 16 | |
222 | 156 | 283 | 236 | 205 | 231 | 210 | 159 | 159 | 133 | 228 | 411 | 405 | 377 | 276 | 215 | 215 | 163 | 194 | 453 | 891 | 986 | 919 | 843 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | |
High Tide | 1:51AM3.14m | 2:22PM2.84m | 2:51AM2.98m | 3:26PM2.70m | 3:55AM2.85m | 4:34PM2.63m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 7:35PM0.34m | 8:13AM0.40m | 8:33PM0.51m | 9:15AM0.53m | 9:36PM0.64m | 10:20AM0.61m | ||||||||||||||||||
 | |  | |  | | |  | | | | |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | — | — |
 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:15 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
14 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | WNW 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | NNW 9 | W 12 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 19 | W 18 | W 17 | W 17 | W 16 |
 kJ | 222 | 156 | 125 | 73 | 205 | 231 | 210 | 159 | 159 | 119 | 228 | 411 | 405 | 377 | 276 | 215 | 215 | 163 | 158 | 453 | 891 | 986 | 919 | 843 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 14 | WNW 13 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | N 6 | NW 10 | NNW 9 | W 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | N 9 | N 6 | NNW 11 | NNW 11 | NNW 11 | N 11 | W 12 | N 11 | N 11 | NNW 10 | NNW 10 |
| kJ | 116 | 139 | 283 | 236 | 58 | 45 | 41 | 94 | 133 | 133 | 113 | 90 | 80 | 55 | 13 | 41 | 43 | 41 | 64 | 113 | 62 | 61 | 36 | 33 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 12 | NW 11 | W 16 | NW 11 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 10 | N 6 | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | N 13 | W 4 | N 13 | NNW 9 | N 6 | N 7 | N 7 | W 20 | N 11 | — | — | WNW 17 | — |
| kJ | 34 | 57 | 21 | 114 | 87 | 79 | 77 | 25 | 38 | 69 | 112 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 194 | 64 | — | — | 29 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | E 3 | E 4 | — | — | — | WNW 3 | WNW 3 | W 4 | — | — | SE 2 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | E 5 | E 5 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | 4 | 7 | 9 | — | — | 1 | 16 | 22 | 17 | 18 | 37 | 49 | 45 | 43 | 55 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 26 | 26 | 0 | 7 | 26 | 26 | 17 | 26 | 115 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 0 | 17 | 39 | 39 | 26 | 17 | 26 | 17 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 17 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Nelson - West Coast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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