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Surf Forecasts:

Lighthouse Reef surfForecast / Canterbury / New Zealand

information circle12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 6 pm Tuesday 17 Feb 2026 NZDT
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Lighthouse Reef surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Lighthouse Reef sea temperature is
17.2° C
 (Which is 2.8°C warmer than normal for this time of year)

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Lighthouse Reef this week:

The surf forecast for Lighthouse Reef over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Feb 18) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 10s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Lighthouse Reef in the next 12 days are 1.3m 10s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Feb 18) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.1m 7s period and expected on Saturday (Feb 21) at 4AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Wed 18th Feb)4.5ft (1.3m) 10s
Best Surf 1AM (Wed 18th Feb)4.5ft (1.3m) 10s
Most Powerful 1AM (Wed 18th Feb)4.5ft (1.3m) 10s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Lighthouse Reef over the next 12 days.

Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent 
12 DaysHourly
Print Table

Short Range Forecast Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 20°C on Thu morning, min 13°C on Tue afternoon). Wind will be generally light.

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Warm (max 20°C on Sat afternoon, min 10°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NNE on Sat morning, calm by Sun night).

Tue
17
Wednesday
18
Thursday
19
Friday
20
Saturday
21
Sunday
22
Monday
23
PMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAM
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
2
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
Swell
Height Map
See all maps
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
1.6
ESE
1.3
ESE
1.1
SE
0.9
ESE
0.6
SE
0.3
ESE
0.6
ESE
0.5
E
1
ESE
0.8
E
0.6
E
0.4
ESE
0.7
E
0.4
SE
0.3
ESE
0.5
E
0.6
SSE
0.5
SE
0.4
SE
1.2
NE
0.4
SE
Period(s) (?)111098812121311111010107996513611
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy kJ (?)592339186126512994852631517834941716402514448844
Wind
(km/h)
10
WNW
5
NW
10
N
20
ENE
5
NW
5
W
10
ESE
10
N
25
S
20
SSW
15
SSW
30
NNE
25
NE
20
WNW
10
NNW
15
E
5
WNW
15
NNE
25
ENE
15
NNW
30
S
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
offcross-
off		cross-
off		cross-
on		glassglassoncross-
off		cross-
on		crosscrosscross-
off		cross-
on		offcross-
off		onglasscrosscross-
on		cross-
off		cross-
on
High Tide
/ height (m)
4:02PM
2.02
4:34AM
2.24
4:48PM
2.03
5:15AM
2.23
5:40PM
2.04
5:57AM
2.19
6:34PM
2.05
6:41AM
2.13
7:28PM
2.07
7:29AM
2.06
8:24PM
2.10
8:23AM
2.00
9:24PM
2.15
9:23AM
2.00
Low Tide
/ height (m)
10:10PM
0.57
10:58AM
0.51
10:56PM
0.52
11:41AM
0.46
11:49PM
0.49
12:27PM
0.45
12:46AM
0.51
1:13PM
0.47
1:40AM
0.58
2:00PM
0.50
2:31AM
0.68
2:52PM
0.55
3:24AM
0.79
Tue
17
Wednesday
18
Thursday
19
Friday
20
Saturday
21
Sunday
22
Monday
23
Sunrise--6:56--6:56--6:58--7:00--7:01--7:01--7:03
Sunset8:42--8:40--8:38--8:37--8:36--8:34--8:31--
light rain
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
light rain
rain showers
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
Rain (mm)
2--------11----------
Temp. °C141417171520201519191415201617181417171815
Feels °C (?)1413151415191914131411915914141013131411
  • 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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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Lighthouse Reef 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.

View detailed surf forecast for Lighthouse Reef at:
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Information about the Lighthouse Reef Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Lighthouse Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 12 days. A general guide to surfing at Lighthouse Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Lighthouse Reef 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 (Lighthouse Reef) 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 Lighthouse Reef 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.

Lighthouse Reef is 4 km (2 miles) from the city of Timaru. If you plan a holiday in Canterbury, look for hotels and other accommodation in Timaru. Timaru has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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