Surf Forecasts:
Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 7 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 8s period, S swell with onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 8s period, SSW swell with 1,080 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 4 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 9s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay in the next 16 days are 3.0m 8s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 6s period and expected on Friday (Sep 04) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Fri 4th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, with the lowdown on Hickory Bay. The water is running at 51°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year.
The first real activity is Thursday morning, the 3rd of September. It’s got a small, clean 4ft swell from the south, with a period of 11 seconds. The energy is moderate (359). It’s a beginner-friendly wave, but it’s not a stand-out. The crowd factor is there sometimes, so you might have a few mates out.
Friday morning the 4th is a write-off, and the afternoon is pretty ordinary. Saturday the 5th morning is the first real highlight. Offshore winds, clean 4ft SSW swell, period around 10 seconds. The energy is moderate (289). It’s a clean, fun wave for a beginner. The afternoon gets blown out.
Sunday the 6th, both sessions are offshore, but the morning is fresh and the swell is short period. The energy spikes on Sunday morning with a 518 reading, but it’s a long period (17 seconds) groundswell that might be a bit straight for the beach.
Monday the 7th is a no-go for paddle surfing. The swell jumps to 10ft with an onshore wind, and it’s too big for this break. That’s expert territory. Tuesday the 8th is a washout.
The real standout comes on the 13th of September, a Sunday. Morning and afternoon are both absolute crackers. The morning has a 6ft S swell with a 10-second period and a gentle offshore, and the energy is strong (770). The afternoon is glassy, with a 6ft swell and clean conditions. The energy is still strong (523). This is the best on offer – clean, good size, and the wind is perfect.
The 16th (Wednesday) has a solid 7ft S swell, but it’s a groundswell with a long period of 14 seconds. The energy is very strong (1673), but it might be too big for the average surfer and a bit tricky for the beach setup.
The tail end of the period, the 18th of September, is a mess. Big swell, strong onshore winds, and rain. That’s a hard pass.
So, if you’re after that one true standout, clear your calendar for the 13th of September. The morning and afternoon are both magic.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu afternoon, min 9°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NW on Fri morning, light winds from the NW by Fri night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun morning, min 6°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the N on Sun morning, light winds from the NW by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | 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) | S 11 | S 11 | S 9 | SSW 16 | NE 9 | SSW 8 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 350 | 274 | 81 | 83 | 238 | 98 | 275 | 139 | 492 | 510 | 219 | 827 | 1041 | 489 | 276 | 94 | 82 | 94 | 88 | 71 | 178 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | on | on | on | off | cross-on | on | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on |
High Tide | 8:41PM1.69m | 9:17AM1.80m | 9:43PM1.69m | 10:21AM1.84m | 10:46PM1.72m | 11:23AM1.89m | 11:47PM1.77m | 12:22PM1.95m | 00:45AM1.83m | 1:18PM2.00m | 1:39AM1.89m | 2:10PM2.04m | 2:31AM1.93m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:39PM0.33m | 3:01AM0.29m | 3:39PM0.33m | 4:00AM0.26m | 4:39PM0.31m | 4:59AM0.22m | 5:39PM0.27m | 5:57AM0.16m | 6:36PM0.21m | 6:54AM0.10m | 7:31PM0.16m | 7:49AM0.05m | 8:23PM0.11m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | |  | | | | |  |  | | |  | |  | | | | | |
 | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — |
 | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 10 |
Feels °C | 12 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 11 | S 9 | S 9 | NE 9 | SSW 8 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 10 | NE 9 | NE 8 | SSW 14 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | N 5 |
| kJ | 350 | 274 | 81 | 40 | 238 | 98 | 275 | 139 | 492 | 510 | 61 | 268 | 33 | 41 | 276 | 94 | 82 | 94 | 88 | 71 | 69 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 11 | NE 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SW 5 | SSW 15 | ENE 8 | SSW 14 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SSW 17 | — | NNE 7 | NE 7 | NE 9 | SSW 9 | NE 5 | SSW 6 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SSW 12 |
| kJ | 5 | 4 | 38 | 83 | 8 | 72 | 6 | 64 | 3 | 3 | 219 | — | 10 | 13 | 22 | 62 | 27 | 64 | 68 | 40 | 178 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 10 | SE 11 | SSW 10 | SE 11 | S 9 | NNE 6 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 9 | NE 11 | E 11 | — | — | N 6 | SSW 14 | ENE 8 | SSW 9 | NE 5 | S 20 | S 19 | SE 9 |
| kJ | 4 | 5 | 20 | 5 | 25 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 19 | 6 | 79 | 7 | 30 | 29 | 21 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 5 | N 5 | N 5 | NNE 6 | NW 5 | NNW 4 | N 4 | N 5 | N 5 | N 6 | N 5 | SSW 16 | S 8 | S 8 | — | NNE 5 | — | — | NNE 4 | NNE 5 | — |
| kJ | 50 | 47 | 63 | 248 | 27 | 8 | 9 | 63 | 87 | 178 | 75 | 827 | 1041 | 489 | — | 52 | — | — | 31 | 39 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 145 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 102 | 3 | 30 | 0 | 36 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 44 | 0 | 30 | 145 | 13 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Canterbury | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay 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 (Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay) 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 Banks Peninsula - Hickory Bay 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.
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