Surf Forecasts:
Papatowai surf forecast from 22 Oct 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 23 Oct, 1PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 17s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 25 Oct, 4AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, SW swell with 4,382 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 22 Oct, 4PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 12s 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 (Oct 22) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 18s. Another secondary swell of 1.9m and 6s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Papatowai in the next 16 days are 3.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Oct 25) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Oct 28) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4PM (Thu 22nd Oct) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 1PM (Fri 23rd Oct) | 8ft (2.5m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Sun 25th Oct) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Papatowai over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Fri afternoon, min 10°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Warm (max 22°C on Mon morning, min 6°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the S on Sun morning, strong winds from the WNW by Tue morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 22 | Friday 23 | Saturday 24 | Sunday 25 | Monday 26 | Tuesday 27 | Wednesday 28 | |||||||||||||||
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 12 | SW 12 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSE 8 | WSW 7 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 819 | 471 | 803 | 2912 | 2761 | 1850 | 1918 | 2065 | 3619 | 3778 | 2295 | 1251 | 1050 | 1102 | 1292 | 169 | 430 | 189 | 347 | 196 | 1655 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | off |
High Tide | 12:26PM1.71m | 00:42AM1.70m | 1:06PM1.77m | 1:23AM1.80m | 1:45PM1.84m | 2:04AM1.90m | 2:27PM1.90m | 2:48AM1.98m | 3:10PM1.94m | 3:34AM2.04m | 3:56PM1.96m | 4:23AM2.07m | 4:45PM1.94m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:32PM0.38m | 6:49AM0.30m | 7:12PM0.30m | 7:31AM0.22m | 7:52PM0.22m | 8:14AM0.16m | 8:34PM0.16m | 8:59AM0.13m | 9:18PM0.12m | 9:48AM0.13m | 10:06PM0.11m | 10:39AM0.16m | 10:58PM0.12m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | | | | |  |  |  | | | |  | | | | |  | | |
 | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — |
 | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:23 | — | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:27 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 5 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 8 | 1 |
Temp °C | 15 | 13 | 11 | 20 | 21 | 14 | 21 | 21 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 19 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 15 | 13 | 9 |
Feels °C | 9 | 9 | 7 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 2 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | NE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 |
| kJ | 819 | 471 | 803 | 2912 | 2761 | 1850 | 1918 | 2065 | 3619 | 3778 | 2295 | 1251 | 1050 | 1102 | 57 | 169 | 151 | 117 | 347 | 196 | 1655 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 18 | SSW 21 | E 11 | NE 12 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | NE 11 | SW 16 | — | — | E 13 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | SE 12 | NE 9 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SE 7 | SE 6 | ESE 14 |
| kJ | — | 61 | 173 | 2 | 6 | 708 | 603 | 5 | 1992 | — | — | 3 | 11 | 26 | 5 | 75 | 171 | 189 | 36 | 10 | 20 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 23 | SW 21 | SE 11 | — | NE 12 | NE 11 | — | NE 10 | — | — | — | E 12 | SE 12 | E 15 | SSW 14 | NE 8 | WSW 9 | S 7 | ESE 14 | ESE 6 |
| kJ | — | 11 | 113 | 5 | — | 6 | 5 | — | 4 | — | — | — | 3 | 6 | 4 | 127 | 17 | 29 | 22 | 20 | 4 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | WSW 6 | SW 7 | NW 4 | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | — | WSW 4 | W 6 | — | — | N 3 | NE 5 | NW 4 | SW 12 | WSW 5 | WSW 7 | W 5 | WNW 4 | WSW 6 | NW 6 |
| kJ | 108 | 271 | 140 | 26 | 117 | 186 | — | 25 | 111 | — | — | 7 | 31 | 23 | 1292 | 138 | 430 | 53 | 10 | 200 | 114 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 78 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 21 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 129 | 459 | 423 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Catlins | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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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