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Surf Forecasts:
Farewell Spit surfForecast / Nelson – West Coast / New Zealand
48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 am Saturday 16 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
15.7° C
(Which is normal for this time of year)How big are the waves at Farewell Spit today?
The current surf forecast for Farewell Spit at 3PM is: 0.6m 20s primary swell from a West direction and 0.6m 13s secondary swell from a West direction, 0.7m 5s secondary swell from a East direction (forecast issued at 11:00am May 16). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-offshore and the swell rating is 2.
| Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (16 May) | 1.5ft (0.4m) | 21s |
| Afternoon (16 May) | 2ft (0.6m) | 20s |
| Evening (16 May) | 2.5ft (0.7m) | 18s |
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 11°C on Sat night, min 9°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sat 16 | Sunday 17 | Monday 18 | Tue 19 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 |    |    |    |    | ||||||||||||||||||||
WNW 21 | WNW 21 | W 20 | W 19 | W 18 | W 18 | W 18 | W 17 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | WNW 18 | W 17 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 | |
153 | 148 | 276 | 365 | 321 | 399 | 600 | 580 | 515 | 407 | 402 | 391 | 282 | 202 | 199 | 196 | 140 | 131 | 85 | 103 | 154 | 132 | 243 | 240 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | |
High Tide | 9:09AM3.31m | 9:37PM3.39m | 9:57AM3.39m | 10:24PM3.47m | 10:46AM3.39m | 11:12PM3.48m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 3:24PM-0.00m | 3:50AM0.05m | 4:12PM-0.05m | 4:38AM-0.00m | 4:59PM-0.04m | 5:28AM0.02m | ||||||||||||||||||
 | |  |  | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 7:28 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:31 |
 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | — | — | 5:17 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 12 | W 13 | W 13 | W 19 | W 18 | W 18 | W 18 | W 17 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 17 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 |
 kJ | 113 | 115 | 119 | 365 | 321 | 399 | 600 | 580 | 515 | 407 | 402 | 391 | 282 | 202 | 199 | 196 | 140 | 131 | 85 | 84 | 154 | 132 | 243 | 240 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 21 | WNW 21 | W 20 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | WNW 18 | WNW 17 | WNW 16 | WNW 16 | ENE 4 | WNW 16 | WNW 16 | NW 15 | W 21 | E 4 | E 4 | E 4 | ENE 4 | WNW 18 | W 13 | W 13 | — | — |
| kJ | 153 | 148 | 276 | 123 | 123 | 84 | 30 | 30 | 26 | 25 | 1 | 24 | 24 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 103 | 85 | 88 | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | — | W 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 21 | W 20 | W 19 | W 19 | ENE 4 | ENE 3 | — | — | — |
| kJ | 7 | — | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 30 | 30 | 62 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 6 | E 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | E 4 | E 4 | E 4 | E 4 | E 4 | ESE 4 | SE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 17 | 23 | 22 | 32 | 83 | 91 | 55 | 32 | 21 | 14 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 15 | 15 | 9 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 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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