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Papatowai Surf Forecast
/ Catlins (9 surf breaks) /
Papatowai surfForecast / Catlins / New Zealand
12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 5 am Friday 18 Apr 2025 NZST
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 Friday (Apr 18) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 2.2m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be cross-onshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Papatowai in the next 12 days are 3.5m 17s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Apr 23) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore 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 (Apr 23) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Fri 18th Apr) | 6ft (1.9m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Wed 23rd Apr) | 11ft (3.5m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Wed 23rd Apr) | 11ft (3.5m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Papatowai over the next 12 days.
Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | Monday 21 | Tuesday 22 | Wednesday 23 | Thursday 24 | Friday 25 | Saturday 26 | Sunday 27 | Monday 28 | Tuesday 29 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Rating (10 max) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wave Height (m) & direction (?) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Period(s) (?) | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 8 | 9 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 16 |
Wave (?)Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Energy (?) | 1812 | 1446 | 1307 | 862 | 1317 | 821 | 639 | 569 | 552 | 379 | 236 | 553 | 524 | 488 | 1273 | 4255 | 4646 | 4606 | 2927 | 2194 | 1401 | 1272 | 1218 | 834 | 480 | 372 | 412 | 475 | 465 | 1254 | 1036 | 744 | 1778 | 1433 | 1372 | 4474 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wind State (?) onshore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore offshore glassy | cross- on | cross- on | cross- on | glass | cross | cross- off | off | cross- off | cross | on | on | on | on | glass | cross- off | cross | cross- on | on | cross- on | on | cross | cross- on | cross- on | cross | cross | on | cross | cross | cross- on | cross | glass | on | cross- on | cross- on | cross- on | cross- on |
High Tide / height (m) | 6:18PM 1.62 | 6:38AM 1.50 | 7:11PM 1.59 | 7:33AM 1.48 | 8:09PM 1.59 | 8:32AM 1.50 | 9:08PM 1.63 | 9:30AM 1.57 | 10:04PM 1.71 | 10:25AM 1.67 | 10:57PM 1.81 | 11:18AM 1.80 | 11:48PM 1.91 | 12:09PM 1.94 | 12:38AM 2.00 | 1:00PM 2.06 | 1:27AM 2.06 | 1:52PM 2.16 | 2:17AM 2.09 | 2:44PM 2.20 | 3:09AM 2.08 | 3:38PM 2.19 | ||||||||||||||
Low Tide / height (m) | 12:10PM 0.57 | 12:48AM 0.62 | 1:04PM 0.59 | 1:45AM 0.63 | 2:00PM 0.57 | 2:40AM 0.59 | 2:56PM 0.51 | 3:33AM 0.52 | 3:50PM 0.40 | 4:23AM 0.41 | 4:41PM 0.28 | 5:11AM 0.29 | 5:32PM 0.15 | 5:59AM 0.16 | 6:22PM 0.05 | 6:47AM 0.06 | 7:13PM -0.02 | 7:36AM -0.02 | 8:05PM -0.04 | 8:27AM -0.05 | 8:59PM -0.01 | 9:20AM -0.03 | 9:55PM 0.06 | |||||||||||||
Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | Monday 21 | Tuesday 22 | Wednesday 23 | Thursday 24 | Friday 25 | Saturday 26 | Sunday 27 | Monday 28 | Tuesday 29 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sunrise | 7:22 | - | - | 7:22 | - | - | 7:24 | - | - | 7:26 | - | - | 7:26 | - | - | 7:28 | - | - | 7:30 | - | - | 7:31 | - | - | 7:33 | - | - | 7:33 | - | - | 7:35 | - | - | 7:37 | - | - |
| Sunset | - | 5:59 | - | - | 5:58 | - | - | 5:55 | - | - | 5:53 | - | - | 5:52 | - | - | 5:51 | - | - | 5:49 | - | - | 5:46 | - | - | 5:45 | - | - | 5:44 | - | - | 5:42 | - | - | 5:40 | - |
 | |  |  | |  | | |  | | |  | | | | | | |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Rain (mm) | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Temp. °C | 14 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 12 |
| Feels °C (?) | 10 | 10 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 12 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 9 |
Short Range Forecast: Light rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat morning, min 9°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 3-6 Weather Summary Light rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 11°C on Mon afternoon, min 6°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 6-9 Weather Summary Mostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat afternoon, min 7°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | Long Range Forecast: Mostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun afternoon, min 8°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
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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