Farewell Spit Surf Break

Lat Long: 40.51° S 172.76° E

Issued: 5 am 28 Jun 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Farewell Spit sea temperature is
14.7° C

Slightly warmer than usual

Farewell Spit surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Farewell Spit surf forecast from 27 Jun 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 28 Jun, 9AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 16s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 5 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 11s period, NNW swell with 4,776 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 28 Jun, 9AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 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 Sunday (Jun 28) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 16s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Farewell Spit in the next 16 days are 4.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 05) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Monday (Jun 29) at 12AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9AM (Sun 28th Jun)3.5ft (1.0m) 16s
Best Surf 9AM (Sun 28th Jun)3.5ft (1.0m) 16s
Most Powerful 3AM (Sun 5th Jul)15ft (4.5m) 11s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Farewell Spit over the next 16 days.


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 12°C on Sun morning, min 9°C on Tue morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the ESE on Sun night, calm by Tue afternoon).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Fri afternoon, min 11°C on Wed morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSW on Wed morning, fresh winds from the NNW by Fri night).

Sunday
28
Monday
29
Tuesday
30
Wednesday
1
Thursday
2
Friday
3
Saturday
4
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
0
0
1
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1
W
16
1
W
15
1
W
14
0.9
W
14
0.8
W
13
0.7
W
13
0.7
W
14
0.7
W
14
0.6
W
14
0.5
W
13
0.5
W
14
0.4
WSW
13
0.3
WSW
13
0.3
W
13
0.3
W
13
0.2
W
16
0.3
W
14
1.4
NW
6
2.1
NW
7
3
NNW
8
4.5
NNW
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
496
453
411
297
225
166
206
203
142
92
93
58
32
31
29
20
37
131
393
1159
4162
Wind (km/h)
10
ESE
10
ESE
30
ESE
30
ESE
20
ESE
30
ESE
15
ESE
5
E
5
WSW
5
SSW
25
W
20
WSW
25
W
35
W
25
W
25
W
30
WNW
35
NNW
45
NNW
50
N
55
NNW
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
on
High Tide
9:11PM2.84m
9:29AM2.78m
9:52PM2.93m
10:09AM2.84m
10:32PM3.00m
10:48AM2.88m
11:10PM3.04m
11:26AM2.90m
11:47PM3.06m
12:04PM2.90m
00:23AM3.06m
12:42PM2.87m
1:01AM3.03m
Low Tide
2:57PM0.63m
3:24AM0.65m
3:39PM0.55m
4:05AM0.57m
4:19PM0.49m
4:45AM0.50m
4:57PM0.43m
5:23AM0.46m
5:35PM0.41m
6:01AM0.43m
6:12PM0.41m
6:39AM0.43m
6:50PM0.44m
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
light rain
heavy rain
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:52
7:52
7:52
7:52
7:52
7:52
7:52
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:10
5:10
5:10
5:12
5:12
5:13
5:13
 mm
2
2
2
2
11
Temp °C
12
12
12
11
12
12
10
10
11
12
13
12
13
13
13
13
14
14
14
14
15
Feels °C
10
9
6
5
7
5
6
8
10
10
8
8
7
6
8
8
8
8
5
5
5
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1
W
16
1
W
15
1
W
14
0.9
W
14
0.8
W
13
0.7
W
13
0.7
W
14
0.7
W
14
0.6
W
14
0.5
W
13
0.5
W
14
0.4
WSW
13
0.3
WSW
13
0.3
W
13
0.3
W
13
0.2
W
12
0.3
W
14
0.3
W
14
0.5
W
11
0.2
W
18
Energy kJ
496
453
411
297
225
166
206
203
142
92
93
58
32
31
29
12
37
35
64
24
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
E
6
0.2
E
8
0.2
E
6
0.2
W
18
0.4
W
16
0.1
W
15
0.1
W
14
0.3
ENE
4
0.2
W
17
0.2
WSW
8
0.2
WSW
8
0.1
W
18
0.2
W
10
0.1
W
18
0.1
W
22
Energy kJ
22
5
3
25
80
4
4
3
22
6
6
6
8
6
9
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.1
NW
14
0.1
W
18
0.1
W
18
0.2
N
3
0.2
W
16
Energy kJ
8
6
6
1
20
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
ESE
6
0.5
E
5
1.5
E
6
1.3
ESE
6
1
E
5
1.2
ESE
6
0.7
E
4
0.5
E
4
0.5
WNW
3
0.5
W
4
0.3
W
3
0.9
WNW
4
0.7
W
4
0.5
W
3
0.9
WNW
4
1.4
NW
6
2.1
NW
7
3
NNW
8
4.5
NNW
10
Energy kJ
45
13
188
143
47
94
19
8
6
8
2
21
13
6
25
131
393
1159
4162
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
3
3
3
3
2
2
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Distance (km)
0
0
17
17
17
17
17
17
0
0
115
115
115
115
115
115
115
93
181
186
225
Best forecast wave conditions in Nelson - West Coast
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
1
2
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand
Rating
(10 max)
5
4
4
4
3
5
4
4
4
3
3
3
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
3
6
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
6
8
9
9
7
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
9
7
5
6
5
4
5
6
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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How to use the Wavefinder 

Eyeball surf reportRecent Eyeball Surf Reports for Nelson - West Coast

  1. eyeball reporterMember Report A stunning clear sky winter day. Unusually warm with a light and variable breeze and mosly shoulder-high clean surf that was slowly building wih the odd hed-high set by sun down. These sea temperature felt pretty pleasant too. Out to sea, the blowhole spray from a whale heading north..

    Wharariki Beach, 7 km away
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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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