Surf Forecasts:
New Brighton Beach surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 1 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 13s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 1 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 12s period, SE swell with 295 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 31 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 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 Friday (Jul 31) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 7s. 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 1.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 01) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 4.0m 12s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Fri 31st Jul) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Sat 1st Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Sat 1st Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for New Brighton Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming at New Brighton Beach for the next couple of weeks.
We’re looking at a slow start, with the first few days offering nothing worth paddling for. The water’s about 49°F, which is right where it should be for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The first real chance to get wet is the morning of Saturday, August 1st. We’ll see a clean 3ft swell from the SE with a moderate offshore breeze out of the WSW. The wave energy is moderate (353) and the period is 13 seconds, so there’s some decent groundswell in the water. It’s not big, but it’ll be clean and fun for a beginner-friendly break. The afternoon stays clean too, with a 3ft swell and a cross-off wind.
Sunday morning, August 2nd, is also worth a look. Clear skies, light offshore wind from the WSW, and a tidy 3ft SE swell. The energy is moderate (210) and the 13-second period gives it a bit of punch. It’s small, but glassy.
The standout of the whole forecast is the morning of Friday, August 7th. Swell picks up to 4ft from the SSE, and while the 9-second period is a bit shorter, the wind is glassy. Flat calm, no ripples, just clean lines. The energy is moderate (295) and it’s the best quality we see across the entire 16 days. That’s the session to aim for.
After that, it’s mostly small and inconsistent. The afternoon of Thursday, August 13th, does see a spike with a 6ft ENE swell (strong energy at 474), but the wind is cross-off and the quality is only marginal. Too big for the beginners, and the conditions aren’t right to make it a true standout.
So, if you’re after clean, small waves for a beginner session, the weekend of August 1st-2nd is your spot. But for the best mix of size and glass, mark Friday morning, August 7th, on your calendar. Things are quiet the rest of the way, but you never know when the forecast might turn.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Fri night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 4°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SW on Fri night, calm by Sat afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 12°C on Mon morning, min 3°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun morning, strong winds from the SW by Tue morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 12 | E 12 | NE 8 | E 12 | E 12 | ESE 15 | SE 13 | SE 12 | ESE 14 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SSE 20 | SSE 15 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 141 | 101 | 138 | 42 | 41 | 44 | 249 | 295 | 121 | 205 | 132 | 73 | 36 | 275 | 191 | 157 | 149 | 92 | 71 | 68 | 63 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | on | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | glassy |
High Tide | 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 | 9:22AM1.75m | 9:44PM1.75m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 3:18AM0.31m | 3:43PM0.34m | ||||||||
 |  |  | |  |  | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — |
 | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | 2 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 6 |
Feels °C | 7 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 7 | -3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 2 | -4 | -2 | -2 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 12 | E 12 | E 11 | E 12 | NE 7 | ESE 15 | SE 13 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 | SE 12 | NNE 3 | SSE 15 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 |
| kJ | 141 | 101 | 64 | 42 | 23 | 44 | 249 | 295 | 110 | 205 | 132 | 73 | 36 | 1 | 191 | 157 | 149 | 92 | 71 | 68 | 63 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 17 | S 16 | — | ENE 6 | E 12 | E 11 | ESE 16 | E 10 | ESE 14 | E 16 | E 16 | SSE 13 | NNW 3 | E 14 | SE 11 | E 13 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | ENE 5 | NE 5 |
| kJ | 6 | 5 | — | 14 | 41 | 21 | 95 | 2 | 121 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 26 | 24 | 21 | 15 | 5 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 17 | S 16 | S 15 | E 16 | ESE 16 | ENE 8 | E 11 | NE 18 | E 17 | S 19 | NE 16 | E 15 | ENE 5 | NE 14 | E 13 | — | E 13 | E 12 | NE 12 | S 15 | ESE 17 |
| kJ | 49 | 45 | 17 | 5 | 24 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 3 | — | 3 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 28 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 4 | NNE 4 | NE 8 | N 4 | NW 3 | SSW 4 | SW 3 | SW 3 | — | — | — | N 3 | NW 4 | SSE 20 | — | S 12 | — | — | NNE 3 | NE 5 | — |
| kJ | 23 | 13 | 138 | 15 | 4 | 18 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 7 | 275 | — | 3471 | — | — | 8 | 42 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 40 | 124 | 43 | 31 | 0 | 169 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 4 | 81 | 0 | 155 | 169 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 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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