New Brighton Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 43.47° S 172.72° E

New Brighton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 am 04 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's New Brighton Beach sea temperature is
9.6° C
0.4° 

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 3 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 4 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 12s period, SE swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 7 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period, SSE swell with 337 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 12s 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 Tuesday (Aug 04) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 17s. 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 0.8m 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 07) at 3AM. 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 13s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 12PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Tue 4th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 12s
Best Surf 9PM (Tue 4th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 12s
Most Powerful 3AM (Fri 7th Aug)2.5ft (0.8m) 16s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for New Brighton Beach over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta tell ya, it’s a slow start. The first few days are pretty much a write-off. Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th are flat or tiny, and even when there’s a little bump of energy, the conditions are just ordinary. The swell is weak, with combined energy only hitting 196 (moderate) on Wednesday morning, but it’s a 3ft SE swell at 11 seconds – a bit of groundswell, but nothing to write home about with the wind being a light offshore cross-off.

Thursday the 6th morning is the first real glimmer. The swell is 2ft from the SE at 10 seconds, and the wind is offshore from the WSW at 5 km/h. The water’s around 49° with a 0.7° anomaly, so pretty much average for the time of year. The combined energy is 232 (moderate), but the surf is still just “surfable but very ordinary.” It’s clean, but there’s not much push.

We then hit a real dry spell. From Thursday afternoon all the way through to Sunday the 9th, it’s all poor surf conditions. The swell drops to 1.0ft or less, and the wind is messy or onshore. There’s a gap of about three days with no real recommendations.

Monday the 10th morning brings a bit of hope. The swell jumps to 4ft from the SE, but with a short period of just 7 seconds – that’s windswell, not groundswell. The wind is glassy, though, so it’ll be clean. Combined energy is 209 (moderate). Still, it’s only a 1 out of 10 type of session, very ordinary.

The middle of the week, from the 11th to the 13th, is pretty grim. Onshore winds from the ENE and E, with the swell building to 5ft, but it’s all short-period, junky windswell, and the wind is howling. The combined energy hits 260 (moderate) on Tuesday afternoon, but with onshore winds, it’s just a mess. This setup is honestly more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Friday the 14th morning we get a little relief. Offshore wind from the WSW at 15 km/h, with a 3ft E swell at 8 seconds. Combined energy is 119 (moderate). It’s clean, but still very ordinary. That pattern of small, clean but weak surf carries through the weekend.

Now, here’s the standout. Look ahead to Tuesday the 18th. That’s the one. We’ve got a 5ft E swell with a 12-second period – that’s proper groundswell. The wind is offshore from the WSW at 15 km/h (gentle breeze) and it’s clean. The combined energy is a solid 678 (strong wave energy). This is the best on offer, no question. The swell direction from the E is right on the money for the optimum ENE, and the 5ft size is good for a wide range of surfers, though it might be a bit much for absolute beginners. The offshore wind will make it clean and lined up. This is a session to circle on the calendar.

Wednesday the 19th morning is still decent, with a 4ft E swell at 12 seconds and offshore wind, combined energy at 480 (strong). A good follow-up day, but the 18th is the real highlight.

The break is New Brighton Beach, which is a fairly exposed, inconsistent spot. It’s a beginner-friendly break, but with the standout swell on the 18th, even the more experienced crew will be happy. The crowds can be a problem here sometimes, so get out early on that Tuesday.

So, to sum it up: a big chunk of nothing early on, then a long wait for that Tuesday the 18th. That’s your best bet. Get ready.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Tue morning. Mild temperatures (max 6°C on Tue afternoon, min 2°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Tue morning, calm by Thu morning).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 11°C on Sun morning, min 5°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Monday
10
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
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)
0.1
E
13
0.1
E
13
0.9
SE
11
0.9
SE
11
0.9
SE
11
0.8
SE
10
0.7
SE
10
0.7
SE
10
0.7
ESE
10
0.6
ESE
12
0.4
ESE
13
0.4
ESE
13
0.3
ESE
12
0.3
SE
10
0.4
SE
10
0.3
SE
13
0.3
SE
12
1.1
SE
5
1.3
SE
7
0.7
E
8
0.8
E
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
3
3
217
191
187
122
104
104
97
99
65
68
28
15
25
27
25
73
144
55
86
Wind (km/h)
35
SW
30
SW
20
WSW
10
WSW
10
SSW
10
WSW
5
W
10
ENE
10
NE
10
ENE
10
ESE
5
SW
5
W
10
E
10
WSW
15
WSW
15
SSW
5
SW
5
SW
15
E
10
ENE
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
off
off
on
on
on
cross-on
cross-off
glassy
on
off
off
cross-off
off
glassy
cross-on
on
High Tide
8:53PM1.76m
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
Low Tide
2:52PM0.34m
3:18AM0.31m
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
mod rain
rain showers
light rain
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:39
7:37
7:35
7:35
7:33
7:31
7:31
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:30
5:31
5:32
5:35
5:36
5:37
5:37
 mm
6
3
2
Temp °C
4
6
5
5
6
5
5
5
6
5
8
10
9
9
9
11
11
9
9
9
8
Feels °C
-4
-2
-2
1
3
2
3
1
2
2
5
7
7
6
7
8
7
8
7
5
4
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • 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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