Surf Forecasts:
Papatowai surf forecast from 16 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 18 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 15s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 20 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 26ft (8.0m), 18s period, SW swell with 41,375 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 17 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 17s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Papatowai this week:
The surf forecast for Papatowai over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 17s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Papatowai in the next 16 days are 8.0m 18s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 20) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 17) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Thu 17th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 17s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 18ft (5.5m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Sun 20th Sep) | 26ft (8.0m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Papatowai over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 12°C on Sat morning, min 5°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Fri night, strong winds from the W by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 22mm), heaviest during Tue morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon afternoon, min 4°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Sun morning, light winds from the N by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | Monday 21 | Tuesday 22 | Wednesday 23 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 17 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1688 | 3587 | 7396 | 12108 | 9563 | 6580 | 4309 | 5357 | 5258 | 33758 | 35337 | 13503 | 5258 | 3060 | 5454 | 7092 | 10055 | 16696 | 11465 | 9154 | 6242 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:05PM1.57m | 7:42AM1.60m | 8:08PM1.51m | 8:47AM1.57m | 9:14PM1.49m | 9:51AM1.58m | 10:14PM1.52m | 10:45AM1.62m | 11:04PM1.57m | 11:31AM1.68m | 11:46PM1.64m | 12:11PM1.74m | 00:24AM1.71m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:04PM0.55m | 1:26AM0.55m | 2:04PM0.62m | 2:26AM0.59m | 3:05PM0.63m | 3:25AM0.58m | 4:01PM0.61m | 4:18AM0.54m | 4:50PM0.55m | 5:05AM0.47m | 5:33PM0.48m | 5:48AM0.38m | 6:13PM0.39m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  | | |  | | | |  | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — |
 | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:32 | — | — | 6:34 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:38 | — |
mm | — | 1 | — | 4 | 1 | — | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 7 |
Feels °C | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 7 | -3 | -3 | -1 | 1 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 0 | -2 | -4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | — | — | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | S 11 | SW 15 | ESE 12 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
| kJ | 1688 | 3587 | 7396 | 8263 | 9563 | 6580 | 4309 | 5357 | 5258 | — | — | 13503 | 5258 | 3060 | 59 | 7092 | 45 | 13446 | 11465 | 9154 | 6242 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 17 | ESE 11 | ESE 12 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | ESE 13 | SSW 18 | ESE 12 | E 11 | — | — | — | ESE 10 | E 10 | NE 6 | E 11 | ESE 12 | — | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 |
| kJ | 1265 | 43 | 82 | 127 | 129 | 145 | 553 | 75 | 61 | — | — | — | 22 | 18 | 6 | 20 | 14 | — | 24 | 23 | 22 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 12 | — | E 10 | — | — | — | ESE 12 | NE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | NE 11 | ENE 11 | ESE 13 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 30 | — | 18 | — | — | — | 96 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 11 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 6 | NW 5 | SW 15 | — | — | NE 6 | — | WSW 8 | SW 17 | SW 18 | — | — | NE 4 | SW 15 | WSW 7 | SW 15 | SW 16 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | 157 | 57 | 12108 | — | — | 30 | — | 1268 | 33758 | 35337 | — | — | 9 | 5454 | 657 | 10055 | 16696 | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 21 | 78 | 129 | 21 | 11 | 0 | 422 | 281 | 719 | 0 | 21 | 11 | 31 | 81 | 129 | 428 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Catlins | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Papatowai surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
Information about the Papatowai Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Papatowai provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Papatowai can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Papatowai 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 (Papatowai) 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 Papatowai 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.
Papatowai is 88 km (55 miles) from the city of Invercargill. If you plan a holiday in Catlins, look for hotels and other accommodation in Invercargill. Invercargill has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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