Surf Forecasts:
New Brighton Beach surf forecast from 13 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 13 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 8s period, ENE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 17 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 10s period, ESE swell with 246 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 13 Aug, 6PM (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 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 13s. 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 1.1m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 17) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 16s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Thu 13th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Thu 13th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Mon 17th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for New Brighton Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty. Let's be real with you about what's coming up over the next couple of weeks for New Brighton Beach.
Look, I'm gonna be straight with you, it's a pretty quiet stretch ahead. We’ve got a long run of small, ordinary conditions, so you’ll need to pick your moments. The water temp is sitting at about 49°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so nothing weird going on there.
The first real chance to get wet looks like Thursday morning, the 13th. We’ve got a 7ft swell rolling in from the ENE, but with a short 8-second period, it’s gonna be a bit lumpy and weak. The combined energy is moderate at 671, but the wind is cross-onshore from the NE, so it’s going to be messy with ripples. Not a standout, but probably the biggest surf of the whole run.
Friday morning, the 14th, offers something cleaner. Swell drops right down to 2ft from the ENE, but we finally get a decent offshore wind from the WSW, which will clean things right up. It’s small, but if you’ve got a log, it could be a fun, glassy session. The energy is weak, though, at just 66.
Friday afternoon gets even better for a short window. The wind goes glassy from the SE, and the swell is 2ft from the E. It’s ordinary, but glassy conditions are a massive win. The energy is still weak at 111.
Saturday, the 15th, has clean offshore winds but the swell is only 2ft from the E, with a short 7-second period. It’s just too weak to get excited about. The energy is a paltry 53.
We limp through the next week with similar stories – small swells, some clean mornings, but nothing that’ll get your heart racing. Sunday the 16th has some offshore wind but rain showers and a weak 2ft swell.
Honestly, the only other window that looks half-decent is the very end of the run, on Thursday the 27th. We get a glassy morning with a 4ft, short-period swell from the NE, but the energy is still weak at 88. It’s glassy, so it’ll be clean, but it’s a weak, short-period windswell. Friday the 28th has a bit more energy at 169 from a 2ft ENE swell with a longer 11-second period, but the cross-shore wind will chop it up.
This is a run where patience is key. The breaks are inconsistent, and there’s no real stand-out day. It’s not often completely flat, but it’s close. The first week is your best bet for any kind of wave, but temper your expectations. It’s small, it’s weak, and you’ll be working for every ride.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 5°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Very mild (max 10°C on Mon afternoon, min 4°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 9 | E 9 | SSE 8 | SE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | SSE 16 | SE 9 | SSE 14 | SE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
464 | 142 | 71 | 58 | 55 | 41 | 39 | 37 | 84 | 42 | 72 | 79 | 137 | 240 | 116 | 146 | 58 | 146 | 44 | 38 | 22 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | off | off | glassy | glassy | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 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 | 9:51AM1.81m | 10:14PM1.74m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 3:34AM0.27m | 4:02PM0.36m | ||||||||
7:26 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | |
— | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:47 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 11 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 10 |
Feels °C | 12 | 12 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 6 | -2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 9 | SE 6 | ENE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | SSE 16 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 |
181 | 142 | 71 | 58 | 55 | 41 | 39 | 37 | 84 | 33 | 28 | 79 | 137 | 240 | 116 | 146 | 58 | 146 | 36 | 21 | 22 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 14 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 9 | E 12 | ENE 10 | E 16 | S 14 | E 12 | SSE 10 | E 11 | E 10 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | SSE 12 |
19 | 18 | 14 | 3 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 4 | 42 | 3 | 32 | 19 | 4 | 103 | 19 | 37 | 30 | 44 | 38 | 15 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | — | SE 10 | E 16 | ESE 14 | E 9 | S 17 | S 17 | — | S 19 | ESE 12 | SSE 17 | S 15 | — | SSE 8 | S 16 | SSE 10 | SE 8 | E 12 | E 11 | E 11 |
7 | — | 4 | 5 | 40 | 2 | 6 | 6 | — | 7 | 15 | 29 | 17 | — | 7 | 21 | 20 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 9 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | — | — | SW 3 | SSW 3 | — | — | S 3 | SSE 6 | SW 3 | SSE 8 | — | WSW 2 | SSW 3 | SW 3 | SW 3 | — | — | SW 2 | — | — |
464 | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 53 | 2 | 72 | — | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | — | — | 1 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 40 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
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.











