
Surf Forecasts:
New Brighton Beach surf forecast from 25 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 27 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 13s period, ESE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 14s period, E swell with 489 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 25 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 18s period with ESE 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 Saturday (Jul 25) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. 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 1.1m 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 7s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Sat 25th Jul) | 1ft (0.3m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Mon 27th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Tue 28th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for New Brighton Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a proper look at what's on offer for New Brighton Beach for the next couple weeks. I'm not gonna lie, for a while there, it's gonna be a tough go.
Right now, through the first few days, we're looking at pretty ordinary surf. The waves are tiny, mostly around 1 to 2 feet, and the energy is weak. Saturday morning is a washout with rain and onshore wind. Sunday through Monday serves up tiny waist-high wedges (about 2 feet) from the east. The period is decent, but the energy is still low and the quality is poor. Not worth paddling out for.
Now, the standout window arrives on Tuesday, July 28th. We've got a clean 4 to 4-foot east swell pulsing in. The wave energy jumps way up, and with the morning coming in glassy calm, this is the best it's going to get. The water temp is about 49°F, which is normal for this time of year, but that ain't the story – the surf is. This is your best shot, a proper clean little runner for the logs or a longboard. Get on it early because the wind goes onshore in the afternoon.
Wednesday, July 29th offers a similar story: a solid 3 to 4-foot east groundswell, with clean wind again in the morning and afternoon. It's a good backup if you missed Tuesday, but Tuesday is the pick.
After that, it drops off fast. Thursday and Friday see the swell shrink and the wind swing around, making things lumpy. By the weekend and into August, the waves fade to dribble. There are a few glassy mornings around August 2nd, but the swell is weak and barely breaking.
There's a long, flat stretch from the end of July right through to August 10th. A couple of little pulses show up around August 5th and 6th – a 2-foot SE swell with a long period – but it's not enough to get excited about, especially with moderate to fresh winds. Honestly, for that whole second week, it's a tough watch. The consistent theme is "poor" or "very ordinary." If you're desperate, August 6th morning has a clean offshore, but the waves are small and the energy is low.
So, the bottom line? Tuesday, July 28th, morning glass-off with 4 to 4-foot east swell. That's the only real standout in this whole 16-day run. Get it while you can. If you're looking to surf after that, you might be better off waiting for the next storm.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Mild temperatures (max 9°C on Mon afternoon, min 2°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 7°C on Tue morning). Winds increasing (calm on Tue night, fresh winds from the N by Thu afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | |||||||||||||||
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 7 | ESE 18 | E 16 | E 15 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 14 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | ENE 11 | ESE 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
20 | 61 | 132 | 157 | 148 | 176 | 222 | 215 | 345 | 398 | 482 | 432 | 342 | 336 | 199 | 146 | 103 | 66 | 41 | 140 | 61 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | glassy | glassy | glassy | on | on | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:51PM1.79m | 2:08AM1.68m | 2:35PM1.81m | 2:51AM1.69m | 3:18PM1.83m | 3:33AM1.71m | 3:59PM1.86m | 4:15AM1.72m | 4:41PM1.87m | 4:56AM1.72m | 5:21PM1.87m | 5:37AM1.72m | 6:01PM1.86m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:56PM0.47m | 8:08AM0.41m | 8:42PM0.46m | 8:52AM0.39m | 9:26PM0.44m | 9:36AM0.37m | 10:10PM0.41m | 10:20AM0.34m | 10:54PM0.38m | 11:04AM0.31m | 11:37PM0.36m | 11:47AM0.30m | 00:20AM0.34m | ||||||||
7:50 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | |
— | 5:21 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | |
mm | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 8 |
Feels °C | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | E 16 | E 15 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 14 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | ESE 15 | ESE 14 |
20 | 19 | 132 | 157 | 148 | 176 | 222 | 215 | 345 | 398 | 482 | 432 | 342 | 336 | 199 | 146 | 103 | 66 | 41 | 44 | 61 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 13 | ESE 18 | SE 6 | SE 6 | E 11 | SE 6 | S 6 | S 6 | S 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | NE 5 | S 14 | NE 4 | S 14 | S 16 | NE 4 | ENE 6 | SE 5 | E 10 |
17 | 61 | 13 | 13 | 20 | 6 | 36 | 36 | 83 | 34 | 20 | 10 | 27 | 37 | 5 | 14 | 20 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 34 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 19 | SE 6 | ENE 12 | ENE 11 | SE 6 | — | SSW 13 | S 12 | — | — | — | S 16 | SSW 15 | — | NE 6 | S 17 | SSW 13 | NE 8 | SSE 11 | S 13 | NE 4 |
7 | 11 | 28 | 41 | 9 | — | 33 | 27 | — | — | — | 5 | 42 | — | 2 | 6 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 3 | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 4 | — | NE 5 | NNE 7 | NNE 4 | NNE 4 | NW 3 | — | ENE 11 | — |
3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | — | 18 | 38 | 20 | 14 | 3 | — | 140 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 154 | 40 | 4 | 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.










