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Papatowai Surf Forecast
/ Catlins (9 surf breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Papatowai surfForecast / Catlins / New Zealand
12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 12 am Saturday 25 Oct 2025 NZDT
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Papatowai this week:
The surf forecast for Papatowai over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Oct 25) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 20s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Papatowai in the next 12 days are 5.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Oct 26) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.1m 7s period and expected on Thursday (Oct 30) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Sat 25th Oct) | 11ft (3.5m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Sun 26th Oct) | 16ft (5.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Sun 26th Oct) | 16ft (5.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Papatowai over the next 12 days.
Short Range Forecast Heavy rain (total 29mm), heaviest during Fri night. Very mild (max 11°C on Sun afternoon, min 5°C on Mon afternoon). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Sun night, light winds from the SSW by Mon afternoon). | Days 3-6 Weather Summary Light rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 13°C on Thu morning, min 2°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SW on Mon night, fresh winds from the W by Thu afternoon). | |||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Fri 31 | ||||||||||||||||
| Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | ||
Rating (10 max) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
| Wave Height (m) & direction (?) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Period(s) (?) | 12 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | |
Wave (?)Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ (?) | 2129 | 2959 | 4357 | 9309 | 6493 | 3065 | 3325 | 1862 | 663 | 348 | 327 | 818 | 1874 | 2785 | 3499 | 2604 | 3368 | 6002 | 5374 | 3776 | 3151 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wind State (?) onshore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore offshore glassy | cross- off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross- off | cross- off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross- off | cross- off | off | off | off | off | |
High Tide / height (m) | 5:34AM 1.75 | 5:51PM 1.63 | 6:18AM 1.69 | 6:36PM 1.56 | 7:05AM 1.63 | 7:25PM 1.51 | 7:57AM 1.59 | 8:19PM 1.48 | 8:53AM 1.57 | 9:15PM 1.48 | 9:49AM 1.59 | 10:10PM 1.53 | 10:42AM 1.65 | |||||||||
Low Tide / height (m) | 11:18PM 0.43 | 11:49AM 0.50 | 12:04AM 0.49 | 12:39PM 0.57 | 12:55AM 0.55 | 1:33PM 0.61 | 1:49AM 0.59 | 2:29PM 0.63 | 2:44AM 0.58 | 3:23PM 0.61 | 3:38AM 0.54 | 4:14PM 0.55 | 4:30AM 0.46 | 5:02PM 0.46 | ||||||||
Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Fri 31 | ||||||||||||||||
| Sunrise | - | 6:30 | - | - | 6:28 | - | - | 6:26 | - | - | 6:24 | - | - | 6:22 | - | - | 6:22 | - | - | 6:20 | - | |
| Sunset | - | - | 8:22 | - | - | 8:23 | - | - | 8:24 | - | - | 8:27 | - | - | 8:28 | - | - | 8:30 | - | - | 8:30 | |
 |  | |  |  | | |  | |  |  | | | | | |  | | | | | ||
Rain (mm) | 7 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 6 | - | 2 | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | |
| Temp. °C | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 12 | |
| Feels °C (?) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | |
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Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
Recent Eyeball Surf Reports for Catlins
The wind is still cross-off at Papatowai (light winds from the NW at Nugget Point Automatic Weather Station 29 km from Papatowai). 0.9m 11s groundswell from the SW with a 0.8m 9s swell from the S. 2 swells combining to make bigger set waves.
29 km away, 45 min ago
FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
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 12 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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