New Brighton Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 43.47° S 172.72° E

New Brighton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 am 05 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's New Brighton Beach sea temperature is
9.8° C
0.6° 

New Brighton Beach surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


New Brighton Beach surf forecast from 5 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 9 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 8s period, NE swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 12 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 8s period, ENE swell with 750 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 5 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 10s 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 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 16s. 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 2.4m 8s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 9s period and expected on Monday (Aug 10) at 6PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Wed 5th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 10s
Best Surf 9AM (Sun 9th Aug)7.5ft (2.3m) 8s
Most Powerful 6PM (Wed 12th Aug)8ft (2.4m) 8s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for New Brighton Beach over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, let’s get into it. The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag around here, so let’s break it down day by day.

First up, we’re looking at a slow start. Wednesday and Thursday are pretty flat and ordinary. There’s some small waves, but nothing worth paddling out for unless you’re absolutely desperate. The wind is okay, but the energy is just weak, with combined swell energy in the 199 to 302 range. It’s basically a “stay home and wax your board” situation.

Friday through Monday morning are a dead zone, honestly. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday morning are all poor, with tiny surf and a lot of onshore wind. The combined energy drops way down, sometimes below 100, which is just sad. The glassy conditions on Saturday morning are nice, but there’s nothing to ride.

Now, here’s the first real spark. Sunday morning at New Brighton Beach is the standout for this week. We’ve got a solid 7.5ft northeast swell with a short 8-second period, and the wind is light and offshore. Combined energy is strong at 789. This is the kind of punchy shorey that will have a few fun ones, but the short period means it’s going to be a bit walled and wonky. Still, it’s the best option in this stretch by a long shot. If you’re a beginner, this is pushing the upper limit of what’s comfortable, so be cautious.

That window closes fast, though. Sunday afternoon and all of Monday and Tuesday are back to junk – poor waves, onshore winds, and weak energy. We’re talking 23 to 61 combined energy, which is basically nothing. Tuesday morning is especially ugly with 30 km/h cross-on winds.

Wednesday the 12th gets a little more exciting, but not for the right reasons for most of us. There’s a 4.9ft east-northeast swell in the morning, but it’s lumpy and cross-onshore with a fresh breeze. That’s more of a kite-surfing day than a paddle-surfing day at this beach break. The afternoon cleans up a bit with a cross-off wind, but the swell is dropping.

We go quiet again from Thursday the 13th through Saturday the 15th morning, with small, weak surf and mostly poor conditions. There’s some clean moments, but nothing with any push.

Then we get our next real highlight. Saturday the 15th afternoon is looking proper. We’ve got a 4.9ft east-northeast swell with a 10-second period, and the wind is glassy. Combined energy is 450. This is a clean, fun size for this spot, and with offshore to glassy conditions, it’s going to be the most user-friendly session of the whole forecast. This is the one to circle on the calendar.

Sunday the 16th is a bit of a letdown after that. The swell drops and the wind turns cross-off and fresh, making it marginal. But hold on, because Monday the 17th morning has a nice surprise – a 3.6ft southeast groundswell with a long 13-second period and glassy conditions. Combined energy is 401. This long-period swell is going to hold up better on the points and reefs, but this being a beach break, it might be a bit too straight. Still, the clean conditions and solid energy make it a good option.

The rest of the week is just small and clean, with some fun knee-to-waist high waves in the mornings. Nothing with any real power, but the glassy conditions on Tuesday the 18th morning will make it a nice paddle at least.

So, to sum it up: the two standouts are Sunday the 9th morning for size and power, and Saturday the 15th afternoon for clean, user-friendly waves. The long-range stuff for the second week is promising but less certain, especially that Monday the 17th morning swell.

Water temp is around 49.6°F, which is about normal for this time of year – barely worth noting. The main thing is to wear a decent hood if you’re out early.

Stay stoked.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Mild temperatures (max 8°C on Fri afternoon, min 3°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 10°C on Sun afternoon, min 7°C on Sun night). 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
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1
SE
11
0.9
SE
11
0.8
SE
10
0.5
SE
15
0.7
SE
13
0.7
SE
13
0.4
ESE
13
0.4
ESE
12
0.4
ESE
11
0.3
SE
10
0.3
SE
10
0.3
SE
10
2.3
NE
8
1.3
NE
7
0.5
ENE
7
0.3
SE
9
0.3
SE
9
0.3
ESE
12
0.4
SE
11
0.4
SE
11
1.3
ENE
7
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
216
187
122
106
167
167
56
61
49
16
15
16
634
159
25
13
13
29
33
30
138
Wind (km/h)
15
WSW
10
SSW
10
WSW
5
WSW
10
ENE
10
NE
5
ENE
5
E
5
WSW
5
ENE
15
E
15
ENE
10
SW
5
E
10
WSW
5
W
10
ENE
5
E
20
ENE
20
E
20
NNE
Wind State
off
cross-off
off
off
on
on
on
on
glassy
glassy
on
on
off
on
off
glassy
on
on
on
on
cross-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
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:37
7:35
7:35
7:33
7:31
7:31
7:30
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:31
5:32
5:35
5:36
5:37
5:37
5:38
 mm
Temp °C
5
6
6
5
5
6
6
8
8
8
9
9
9
10
8
9
9
9
9
10
12
Feels °C
1
2
2
2
1
2
4
5
5
6
5
4
7
8
5
7
6
7
5
6
7
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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