
Surf Forecasts:
New Brighton Beach surf forecast from 4 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 6 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 15s period, ESE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 7 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period, SSE swell with 443 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 5 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 11s period with SE 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 (Aug 05) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 18s. 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 0.9m 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 07) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 9s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 06) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Wed 5th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Thu 6th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Fri 7th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for New Brighton Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and grim for New Brighton Beach. We’ve got a long stretch of tiny, weak surf ahead, and the conditions are going to be fighting us more often than not. The first few days have a little something, but after that, it’s a real desert out there.
The only real window of opportunity is right at the start. Wednesday morning the 5th will be your best bet. We’ve got a clean 3ft swell rolling in from the southeast with an 11-second period. The wind is a gentle offshore breeze from the WSW, which is going to keep the face nice and clean. The water temp is sitting at 50°F, which is about average for this time of year, so the wetsuit is doing its job. The combined energy is a moderate 221, so there’s a bit of push in it, but it’s not going to be a day for the heroes. It’s a beginner-friendly break, but with the inconsistency, you’ll be waiting for the sets. Thursday morning the 6th is also worth a look; the swell drops to 2ft but the period jumps to 15 seconds, which is a proper long-period groundswell. It’s glassy with a slight offshore wind, so it’ll be super clean, but you’ll need a longboard and a lot of patience. The energy is moderate at 248, but the size is just tiny.
After Thursday, things fall off a cliff. The weekend is a write-off. Friday the 7th has onshore winds and the swell drops to 1ft. Saturday and Sunday are even worse, with light winds but no swell to speak of. There’s a bump on Sunday the 9th – a 5ft swell from the NE, but it’s short-period (7 seconds) and the wind is onshore, so it’s going to be a messy, lumpy mess. Not worth paddling out for.
From Monday the 10th through to the end of the window on the 20th, it’s a wasteland. Swell heights are mostly below 2ft, often down to 0.7ft or 0.3ft. The energy readings are weak, mostly in the single digits or low double digits – nothing with any push. We’ve got a few days with offshore winds, like the 14th and 17th, but with 0.7ft waves, there’s simply nothing to ride. The wind gets strong and cross-shore from the 15th onwards, just making things choppier and more frustrating. There is a long period swell on the 16th (17 seconds) but it’s only 0.7ft, so it’s a non-event.
This is a classic blank run for the area. The spot is inconsistent at the best of times, and with this little energy, you’re better off keeping the board in the car. The setup is a beach break, and with the onshore winds and tiny surf, it’s looking more like a day for a kite than a paddle. Forecasts can change, but right now, I wouldn’t be blocking out any time for a surf. Keep an eye on the charts, but for the next two weeks, it’s a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Mild temperatures (max 8°C on Fri afternoon, min 3°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun afternoon, min 8°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 15 | SE 13 | SSE 16 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | NE 7 | ENE 6 | E 6 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 12 | SE 11 | ENE 5 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
216 | 187 | 122 | 106 | 180 | 443 | 57 | 59 | 48 | 29 | 25 | 25 | 233 | 33 | 30 | 21 | 30 | 42 | 43 | 31 | 39 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | off | off | on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | on | on | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | on | on | on |
High Tide | 9:22AM1.75m | 9:44PM1.75m | 10:17AM1.80m | 10:40PM1.76m | 11:16AM1.86m | 11:39PM1.79m | 12:16PM1.94m | 00:39AM1.84m | 1:15PM2.02m | 1:38AM1.90m | 2:12PM2.10m | 2:34AM1.96m | 3:08PM2.16m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:43PM0.34m | 4:08AM0.29m | 4:37PM0.33m | 5:00AM0.26m | 5:34PM0.31m | 5:55AM0.22m | 6:32PM0.27m | 6:52AM0.16m | 7:30PM0.21m | 7:49AM0.09m | 8:28PM0.15m | 8:47AM0.03m | 9:25PM0.10m | ||||||||
7:37 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | |
— | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 |
Feels °C | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | SE 11 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | E 6 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 |
216 | 187 | 122 | 98 | 135 | 121 | 57 | 59 | 48 | 29 | 25 | 25 | 64 | 33 | 30 | 21 | 30 | 42 | 43 | 31 | 25 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 18 | ESE 16 | ESE 15 | S 9 | SSE 17 | SE 9 | ENE 3 | SSE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 12 | ESE 13 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 10 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ESE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | ESE 10 |
— | 6 | 26 | 44 | 207 | 29 | 23 | 1 | 13 | 9 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 34 | 30 | 10 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 16 | NE 12 | E 11 | SE 15 | SE 13 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 13 | SE 15 | E 12 | NE 4 | E 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 | E 13 | E 13 | SE 12 | NE 8 | NE 6 | S 18 | S 16 |
5 | 6 | 3 | 106 | 180 | 443 | 48 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 26 | 23 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 2 | — | — | — | — | — | NE 3 | NE 3 | — | — | — | ESE 5 | NE 7 | — | — | WSW 2 | SW 2 | — | — | ENE 3 | ENE 5 |
1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | 6 | 233 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 39 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 20 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 45 | 40 | 40 | 0 | 4 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 40 | 45 | 40 |
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.











