
Surf Forecasts:
New Brighton Beach surf forecast from 29 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 2 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 13s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 2 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 13s period, SE swell with 673 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 29 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 12s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for New Brighton Beach this week:
The surf forecast for New Brighton Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at New Brighton Beach in the next 16 days are 1.4m 13s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 02) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 12s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 01) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Wed 29th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for New Brighton Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Righto, let's have a look at what's on offer over the next couple of weeks.
First up, a bit of a slow start. There’s some small surf coming in but nothing to get excited about until we hit Wednesday morning, July 29. New Brighton Beach is where it's at. We've got a clean, glassy 3-foot east swell, and the water temp is sitting at 49°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year. The combined energy is a moderate 310, so there's a bit of push behind it, but it's a long-period groundswell at 13 seconds, which will give you some nice shaped lines. The wind is dead calm, glassy as anything. For a beginner spot, this is about as good as it gets – small, clean, and easy. Keep an eye out for crowds though, as this place can get a few people on it when the conditions are this sweet.
The window of opportunity closes real quick. By Wednesday afternoon the glass is gone, and from Thursday morning all the way through to Saturday morning, August 2, it's a mix of onshore, cross-shore, and just plain messy conditions with swell bouncing around from 1 feet to 4 feet but all blown out. Don't bother.
Then, on Sunday morning, August 2, we get a little reprieve. A clean 3-foot southeast swell (13-second period) with a light offshore wind. Combined energy is 291, so moderate. It’s clean, it’s fun, but it’s not a standout. Just a solid, ordinary morning session. By the afternoon the wind swings onshore, and it's game over again.
Monday morning, August 3, is a similar story – small, clean, but nothing special. Tuesday morning, August 4, is the same deal: a 3-foot southeast groundswell with a moderate offshore breeze (12 mph) and 322 combined energy. Clean, rideable, but still just a one-star morning.
Honestly, the first week is pretty average, with only short windows of clean but small surf.
Now, if you’ve got patience, the real gold is further out. The first standout is on Monday morning, August 10. New Brighton gets a solid 5-foot east-northeast swell, a moderate offshore wind, and combined energy of 413. That's a strong push. The period is only 9 seconds though, so it’s a shorter-period wind swell – more of a chunky, punchy wave than a drawn-out line. It’s clean and offshore, but at 5 feet it’s getting a bit much for total beginners. For the average surfer, this is your best bet of the whole run. The water temp is still around normal.
The absolute pick of the lot is Wednesday morning, August 12. Same spot: New Brighton Beach. We’re looking at a 4-foot east-northeast swell with a clean moderate offshore wind and a longer 12-second period. The combined energy jumps to 452, which is strong. This is a proper groundswell with real power and shape. The wind will hold it clean, and the sets will be well-spaced. This is the one to circle on your calendar. After that, the quality holds into Thursday afternoon, August 13, with another 4-foot clean session, but the Wednesday morning is the highlight.
Keep in mind, New Brighton is an inconsistent spot and it’s best for beginners. When the swell gets over 5 feet, it might be a push for the less experienced, but for the rest of us, that Wednesday morning in August is where the magic is.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Fri night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 3°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed night, strong winds from the SW by Fri night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 10°C on Sun afternoon, min 4°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | ||||||||||||||
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) | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | NNE 8 | E 12 | E 12 | ESE 15 | ESE 16 | SE 11 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 | ESE 12 | SSE 13 | SSE 14 | SSE 15 | SE 14 | SE 13 | SE 12 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
209 | 190 | 104 | 101 | 117 | 42 | 41 | 43 | 95 | 194 | 673 | 277 | 181 | 93 | 198 | 264 | 666 | 379 | 241 | 190 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | on | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | glassy |
High Tide | 4:41PM1.87m | 4:56AM1.72m | 5:21PM1.87m | 5:37AM1.72m | 6:01PM1.86m | 6:18AM1.71m | 6:42PM1.83m | 7:00AM1.71m | 7:23PM1.81m | 7:44AM1.71m | 8:06PM1.78m | 8:31AM1.72m | 8:53PM1.76m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:54PM0.38m | 11:04AM0.31m | 11:37PM0.36m | 11:47AM0.30m | 00:20AM0.34m | 12:31PM0.30m | 1:03AM0.33m | 1:16PM0.31m | 1:47AM0.33m | 2:03PM0.33m | 2:31AM0.32m | 2:52PM0.34m | ||||||||
— | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | |
5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 11 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
Feels °C | 11 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 7 | -4 | -2 | -1 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 11 | NE 5 | ENE 8 | ESE 15 | ESE 16 | SE 11 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 | ESE 12 | SSE 13 | SSE 14 | E 13 | SE 14 | SE 13 | SE 12 |
209 | 190 | 104 | 101 | 64 | 14 | 22 | 43 | 95 | 194 | 386 | 277 | 181 | 93 | 198 | 264 | 3 | 379 | 241 | 190 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 6 | NE 7 | S 17 | S 16 | — | E 12 | E 12 | E 11 | E 10 | ESE 14 | SE 13 | E 16 | E 16 | S 20 | SE 11 | ESE 12 | — | E 13 | E 13 | NE 12 |
12 | 11 | 6 | 5 | — | 42 | 41 | 21 | 9 | 120 | 673 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 61 | 13 | — | 3 | 3 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | S 17 | S 17 | S 16 | E 18 | NE 6 | N 3 | ENE 8 | NE 9 | E 10 | NE 17 | S 19 | S 23 | — | NE 6 | E 14 | — | — | — | — |
6 | 6 | 49 | 45 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 7 | 11 | — | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | N 4 | NNE 4 | NNE 8 | NNW 3 | W 3 | S 3 | S 12 | SSW 3 | — | NW 3 | N 3 | WNW 2 | SW 3 | SSW 3 | SSE 15 | W 3 | — | — |
— | — | 23 | 14 | 117 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 279 | 7 | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 666 | 1 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 40 | 82 | 40 | 124 | 0 | 173 | 169 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 124 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Canterbury | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the New Brighton Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for New Brighton Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at New Brighton Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our New Brighton Beach 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 (New Brighton Beach) 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 New Brighton Beach 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 Canterbury? If you are looking for accommodation near New Brighton Beach, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Canterbury, consider staying in Christchurch which is 10 km (6 miles) away.










