Surf Forecasts:
Farewell Spit surf forecast from 15 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 20 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 15s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 20 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 15s period, W swell with 5,876 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 18 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 16s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Farewell Spit this week:
The surf forecast for Farewell Spit over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 18) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 16s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Farewell Spit in the next 16 days are 3.5m 15s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 20) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 5s period and expected on Friday (Sep 18) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 3PM (Sun 20th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Sun 20th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Farewell Spit over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Thu morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Wed night, min 10°C on Thu afternoon). Winds decreasing (near gales from the WSW on Thu afternoon, calm by Fri morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Very mild (max 13°C on Sat morning, min 9°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the WSW on Sat night, light winds from the SW by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | Monday 21 | ||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 12 | W 13 | W 13 | WNW 11 | NW 9 | NNW 8 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | W 8 | W 14 | W 15 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 3 | 87 | 158 | 597 | 853 | 1114 | 3586 | 2159 | 2713 | 2168 | 2246 | 3384 | 1643 | 5439 | 5805 | 4538 | 2683 | 3471 | 1033 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross |
High Tide | 00:38AM3.07m | 12:59PM3.00m | 1:15AM2.86m | 1:38PM2.80m | 1:57AM2.64m | 2:24PM2.60m | 2:48AM2.43m | 3:23PM2.43m | 3:56AM2.29m | 4:42PM2.34m | 5:21AM2.26m | 6:03PM2.39m | |||||||
Low Tide | 6:50AM0.36m | 7:11PM0.51m | 7:28AM0.58m | 7:53PM0.73m | 8:12AM0.80m | 8:42PM0.94m | 9:06AM0.99m | 9:47PM1.10m | 10:18AM1.11m | 11:08PM1.15m | 11:39AM1.10m | 00:25AM1.05m | |||||||
 |  | |  |  |  |  | |  | | |  |  | | | | | | | |
 | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — |
 | — | — | 6:19 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:23 | — |
mm | — | — | — | 2 | 15 | 8 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
Feels °C | 1 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 12 | W 13 | W 13 | N 11 | W 14 | NNW 8 | N 8 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | NW 15 | — | — | W 14 | WNW 15 | W 16 | W 15 | NW 14 | WNW 14 |
| kJ | 3 | 87 | 158 | 2 | 325 | 878 | 169 | 2159 | 2713 | 2168 | 56 | — | — | 4040 | 4221 | 4538 | 2683 | 54 | 19 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 18 | W 18 | N 11 | — | W 14 | N 8 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 4 | NE 4 | — | NW 8 |
| kJ | — | 6 | 6 | 2 | — | 617 | 205 | 10 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 2 | — | 3 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 11 | N 11 | — | — | — | — | NNW 8 | N 7 | N 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 24 | 10 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 11 | NW 9 | NNW 8 | W 16 | — | NNW 2 | — | W 15 | W 15 | W 8 | W 14 | W 15 | ENE 4 | — | W 14 | W 14 |
| kJ | 133 | 31 | 29 | 597 | 853 | 1114 | 3586 | — | 1 | — | 2246 | 3384 | 1643 | 5439 | 5805 | 22 | — | 3471 | 1033 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 115 | 115 | 122 | 115 | 181 | 83 | 91 | 0 | 147 | 115 | 147 | 194 | 191 | 487 | 452 | 83 | 115 | 205 | 115 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Nelson - West Coast | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Farewell Spit surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
Information about the Farewell Spit Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Farewell Spit provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Farewell Spit can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Farewell Spit surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Farewell Spit) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Farewell Spit may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a holiday in Nelson - West Coast? If you are looking for accommodation near Farewell Spit, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Nelson - West Coast, consider staying in Nelson which is 96 km (60 miles) away.
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