Farewell Spit Surf Break

Lat Long: 40.51° S 172.76° E

Issued: 11 pm 18 Jun 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Farewell Spit sea temperature is
14.9° 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 18 Jun 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 24 Jun, 3PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 24 Jun, 12PM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 10s period, NW swell with 5,373 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 22 Jun, 9AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 9s period with WNW 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 Monday (Jun 22) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 15s. 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 5.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jun 24) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 8s period and expected on Friday (Jun 26) at 6AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9AM (Mon 22nd Jun)4ft (1.2m) 9s
Best Surf 3PM (Wed 24th Jun)11ft (3.5m) 9s
Most Powerful12PM (Wed 24th Jun)18ft (5.5m) 10s

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


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Fri morning). Winds increasing (calm on Thu night, strong winds from the NW by Sat night).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 49mm), heaviest during Wed morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun night, min 11°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon afternoon, strong winds from the E by Wed morning).

Friday
19
Saturday
20
Sunday
21
Monday
22
Tuesday
23
Wednesday
24
Thu
25
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Rating
(10 max)
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
2
2
2
2
1
0
0
!
1
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
W
15
1.1
W
14
1.3
W
13
1.2
W
13
0.5
W
12
1.7
WNW
6
2.5
WNW
7
2.5
WNW
10
2
WNW
10
1.4
WNW
10
1.2
WNW
9
1
WNW
9
0.8
WNW
8
0.6
W
14
0.7
W
16
1.6
N
7
3.5
N
9
3.5
WNW
9
0.6
W
16
0.6
W
14
1.1
W
16
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
157
469
586
485
78
180
672
1352
746
363
232
147
79
136
236
279
1708
1781
179
150
643
Wind (km/h)
15
NNE
15
WNW
35
W
30
W
40
NW
45
WNW
50
NW
35
W
30
W
25
WSW
5
SE
5
SE
5
S
10
SSE
15
ESE
45
ESE
45
E
30
E
25
SSW
40
W
20
W
Wind State
on
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross-off
glassy
glassy
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
High Tide
00:43AM3.38m
1:10PM3.09m
1:34AM3.25m
2:03PM2.96m
2:27AM3.09m
2:57PM2.82m
3:20AM2.92m
3:54PM2.70m
4:16AM2.76m
4:53PM2.62m
5:14AM2.65m
5:52PM2.59m
6:12AM2.59m
Low Tide
7:02AM0.14m
7:19PM0.23m
7:54AM0.26m
8:11PM0.38m
8:47AM0.40m
9:06PM0.55m
9:42AM0.54m
10:03PM0.70m
10:37AM0.65m
11:02PM0.81m
11:34AM0.73m
00:02AM0.86m
12:30PM0.76m
clear
clear
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
cloud
heavy rain
heavy rain
heavy rain
rain showers
part cloud
light rain
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:50
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>
5:07
5:07
5:07
5:08
5:08
5:08
5:08
 mm
1
1
8
19
16
14
15
1
Temp °C
13
13
13
15
15
16
16
15
15
14
12
13
12
12
12
13
13
14
14
14
13
Feels °C
9
8
6
11
8
8
8
11
10
10
11
12
11
10
9
6
5
9
10
6
9
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1
W
8
1.1
W
14
0.1
NE
12
0.1
W
21
0.5
W
12
0.1
N
6
0.4
W
17
0.5
W
16
1.4
WNW
10
1.2
WNW
9
1
WNW
9
0.8
WNW
8
0.6
W
14
0.7
W
16
1.6
N
7
0.9
NNW
7
0.8
W
7
1.1
W
16
Energy kJ
111
469
5
9
78
1
93
125
363
232
147
76
136
236
279
77
59
643
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
W
12
0.2
E
4
0.1
W
24
0.2
W
20
0.6
NW
11
0.4
NW
10
0.4
W
16
0.4
W
15
0.5
W
14
0.4
WSW
13
0.6
WNW
8
0.4
NNE
5
0.6
W
14
0.6
WSW
7
0.6
W
14
0.4
NNW
7
Energy kJ
104
1
11
30
72
35
77
67
107
58
44
7
153
37
150
15
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
W
15
0.1
N
13
0.1
W
17
0.1
W
16
0.1
W
16
0.1
W
15
0.1
W
15
0.4
W
16
0.2
W
18
0.4
WNW
8
0.2
WNW
7
0.6
W
16
0.6
N
7
0.5
N
7
Energy kJ
157
3
6
5
5
4
4
79
26
23
5
179
38
23
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.3
W
13
1.2
W
13
1.2
WNW
5
1.7
WNW
6
2.5
WNW
7
2.5
WNW
10
2
WNW
10
0.5
W
4
0.3
SE
2
0.7
ESE
4
0.8
ESE
5
0.5
ESE
3
0.6
ESE
3
0.8
E
4
3.5
N
9
3.5
WNW
9
0.9
WNW
7
0.9
W
6
Energy kJ
586
485
59
180
672
1352
746
6
1
16
26
6
9
22
1708
1781
79
59
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
3
2
1
1
1
1
4
3
2
2
2
2
2
1
2
4
2
1
1
Distance (km)
17
3
115
115
93
186
93
91
115
115
0
0
0
0
26
91
83
91
3
147
91
Best forecast wave conditions in Nelson - West Coast
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
3
3
3
2
3
3
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand
Rating
(10 max)
9
4
5
3
4
4
3
4
4
4
7
6
5
4
4
2
3
4
4
3
4
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
9
5
6
5
7
5
5
4
9
4
7
6
7
5
5
5
5
6
7
5
5
  • 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
How to use the Wavefinder
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Farewell Spit:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

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.

Nearest locationNearest