New Brighton Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 43.47° S 172.72° E

New Brighton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 pm 22 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's New Brighton Beach sea temperature is
9.7° C
0.2° 

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 22 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 27 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 13s period, E swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 14s period, E swell with 593 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 24 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 9s period with NE 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 Friday (Jul 24) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 12s. 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 1.2m 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 26) at 12AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6PM (Fri 24th Jul)2ft (0.6m) 9s
Best Surf12PM (Mon 27th Jul)3ft (0.9m) 13s
Most Powerful 3PM (Tue 28th Jul)4ft (1.2m) 14s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here, let’s break down what New Brighton Beach has cookin’.

First off, it’s a quiet stretch. The first few days are flat or close to it, so don’t bother. The first real chance to wet your line comes on Thursday the 28th of July, and that’s the standout.

The best of the whole run is that Thursday the 28th. Tuesday morning shows a glassy, dead-calm sea with a clean 4ft swell out of the east, with a 14-second period. That’s a proper groundswell with good energy – combined swell energy reads 596 (moderate to strong). The wind is flat calm, glassy, and it stays that way into the afternoon. Water temp is about 50°F, which is pretty normal for the time of year. New Brighton is a beginner-friendly spot, fairly exposed, but for this window, it’s the pick. The waves are clean, and with those light offshore/glass conditions, you’ll be getting some fun ones. It’s inconsistent, so you’ll be waiting for sets, but the quality is there.

The Wednesday morning the 29th offers a decent 3ft east swell with a 13-second period, but the wind is a light cross-shore, and the energy is lower (364). It’s still surfable, but not as clean as the day before. Wednesday afternoon sees a cross-offshore breeze, which cleans it up a bit.

After that, it drops off quick. Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st show small, ordinary waves with onshore winds and rain showers, making it tough. The first week of August is a washout – small, weak, and onshore all the way through to the 6th. The combined energy stays under 300, often under 200. It’s a long stretch with no real good options.

So, bottom line: aim for the 28th of July. That’s the best you’re gonna get. Everything else is for the diehards or the kite guys, as the beach setup with the wind and ankle-biters might be more fun for them. The waves are just too small and weak to get psyched about for the rest of the window.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu afternoon, min 4°C on Sat morning). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sat afternoon. Mild temperatures (max 8°C on Sun afternoon, min 3°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Wed
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Monday
27
Tuesday
28
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
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
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
11
0.1
SE
12
0.6
NE
4
0.4
NE
4
0.9
NNE
4
1.1
NE
5
0.5
NE
9
0.4
ENE
7
0.2
ESE
13
0.3
ESE
18
0.5
E
16
0.6
E
15
0.6
E
14
0.6
E
13
0.8
E
13
0.9
E
13
1.1
E
15
1.2
E
14
1.2
E
14
1.1
E
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
4
6
11
5
25
49
38
19
17
61
132
159
148
130
225
281
517
590
593
423
Wind (km/h)
10
E
10
ENE
5
NNE
20
NNW
25
NNE
25
N
5
N
15
SW
30
SW
20
WSW
15
W
10
WSW
5
NW
5
W
10
W
10
ENE
5
NNW
5
NNW
5
ESE
0
NNW
Wind State
on
on
glassy
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
off
off
off
off
off
glassy
off
off
on
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
High Tide
11:41PM1.74m
12:14PM1.78m
00:33AM1.70m
1:04PM1.78m
1:22AM1.68m
1:51PM1.79m
2:08AM1.68m
2:35PM1.81m
2:51AM1.69m
3:18PM1.83m
3:33AM1.71m
3:59PM1.86m
Low Tide
5:26PM0.37m
5:48AM0.33m
6:18PM0.43m
6:36AM0.38m
7:08PM0.46m
7:23AM0.41m
7:56PM0.47m
8:08AM0.41m
8:42PM0.46m
8:52AM0.39m
9:26PM0.44m
9:36AM0.37m
10:10PM0.41m
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
light rain
mod rain
light rain
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:50
7:50
7:50
7:48
7:48
7:47
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:17
5:19
5:20
5:21
5:22
5:22
5:23
 mm
1
6
4
Temp °C
11
10
9
14
13
13
14
9
6
5
5
6
8
6
5
7
7
6
9
8
Feels °C
8
7
8
9
5
9
12
3
-1
0
1
3
5
3
2
3
3
3
7
6
  • 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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