Surf Forecasts:
New Brighton Beach surf forecast from 12 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 18s period, SSE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 18s period, SSE swell with 582 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 13 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 8s period with ENE 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 Thursday (Aug 13) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at New Brighton Beach in the next 16 days are 1.0m 18s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 13s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Thu 13th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for New Brighton Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with you—this stretch for New Brighton Beach is pretty grim. There’s a real big gap of nothing good at the start, and even when something pops up, it’s not much to write home about. Let’s break it down.
We’re looking at a long, quiet spell from the beginning of the forecast period right through to the 24th of August. For over a week, the waves are tiny, the energy is weak, and the conditions are just ordinary. Most days you’ve got swell heights under 3 ft, with combined energy struggling to hit triple digits—like on the 12th of August, there’s a 5 ft swell from the ENE, but the wind is a fresh onshore breeze at 19 mph, and the energy is only 281, with poor surf conditions. The water temperature is 49°, which is about normal for the time of year, so no surprises there.
The first real standout comes on the morning of Tuesday, the 25th of August. That’s the one to circle. We’ve got a 4 ft swell from the NE with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 287—moderate, but the best we’ve seen. The wind is light offshore from the WNW, making for clean conditions. The break is New Brighton Beach, a fairly exposed beach setup that’s inconsistent and can be crowded sometimes. The NE swell isn’t exactly the optimum direction from the ENE, but it’s close enough, and with that offshore wind, it’ll be the cleanest and most surfable day of the whole run. For beginners, 4 ft is manageable, but it’s the best on offer, so don’t expect perfection.
After that, it fades again. The 26th and 27th of August see some long-period energy from the ESE (15-16 seconds), but the swell is tiny—1 ft to 0.7 ft—and the wind is strong offshore, so it’s more about clean, small waves for a longboard if you’re desperate. The energy is weak, under 80, so nothing to get excited about.
Overall, this is a lean period. The one morning on the 25th of August is your best bet, but it’s not a classic. Keep the expectations low, and if you’re out there, make the most of that glassy, offshore window.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu afternoon, min 8°C on Sat morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the ENE on Wed afternoon, calm by Fri night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 12°C on Mon afternoon, min 3°C on Sun morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Sat afternoon, light winds from the SW by Mon afternoon). | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 9 | SE 6 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 10 | SSE 16 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 277 | 256 | 502 | 105 | 73 | 54 | 55 | 39 | 41 | 42 | 33 | 25 | 19 | 33 | 26 | 24 | 27 | 16 | 18 | 326 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | cross-on | glassy | off | off | glassy | glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 4:02PM2.19m | 4:24AM2.04m | 4:55PM2.19m | 5:17AM2.05m | 5:47PM2.16m | 6:11AM2.02m | 6:39PM2.09m | 7:05AM1.98m | 7:31PM2.00m | 8:00AM1.93m | 8:24PM1.90m | 8:55AM1.87m | 9:18PM1.81m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:21PM0.05m | 10:40AM-0.04m | 11:15PM0.03m | 11:35AM-0.02m | 00:08AM0.03m | 12:29PM0.02m | 1:01AM0.06m | 1:23PM0.09m | 1:52AM0.12m | 2:17PM0.18m | 2:43AM0.19m | 3:10PM0.27m | ||||||||
 |  | |  |  | | | |  |  |  |  | | | | |  | | | | |
 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — |
 | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 10 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 13 |
Feels °C | 4 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 8 | -1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | E 14 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | SE 6 | SE 6 | ESE 6 | ENE 9 | E 9 | ESE 9 | SE 4 | E 10 | SSE 16 |
| kJ | 4 | 4 | 167 | 105 | 73 | 54 | 55 | 39 | 41 | 42 | 33 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 26 | 24 | 27 | 2 | 18 | 326 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 20 | SE 9 | E 14 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 14 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | SE 6 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | SE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 14 | E 9 | E 14 | E 10 |
| kJ | 8 | 3 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 3 | 13 | 25 | 15 | 26 | 10 | 4 | 20 | 16 | 4 | 7 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 15 | S 18 | SSE 8 | — | — | E 16 | ESE 14 | S 18 | S 17 | S 17 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | SSE 18 | ESE 16 | ESE 15 | S 13 | E 13 | ESE 13 | E 13 |
| kJ | 4 | 25 | 7 | — | — | 5 | 20 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 33 | 24 | 21 | 3 | 14 | 16 | 3 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | — | — | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | — | SW 2 | S 3 | S 3 | SW 2 | S 18 | — | — | — | — | S 3 | S 17 | — |
| kJ | 277 | 256 | 502 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 103 | — | — | — | — | 9 | 617 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 169 | 31 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 33 | 10 | 5 | 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.
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