Surf Forecasts:
Papatowai surf forecast from 10 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 10 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 18s period, SSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 12 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 25ft (7.5m), 16s period, SW swell with 27,427 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 10 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 18s period with SSW 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 10) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 5.0m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Papatowai in the next 16 days are 7.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 12) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 6s period and expected on Friday (Sep 11) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Thu 10th Sep) | 16ft (5.0m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Thu 10th Sep) | 16ft (5.0m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Sat 12th Sep) | 25ft (7.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Papatowai over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 22mm), heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 10°C on Fri morning, min 5°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (moderate winds from the W on Thu morning, strong winds from the W by Fri morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue morning, min 6°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon afternoon, fresh winds from the WNW by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | |||||||||||||||
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 19 | SSW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 14 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 11786 | 14620 | 14037 | 17229 | 17960 | 26085 | 25762 | 20424 | 15212 | 9884 | 7626 | 5050 | 5528 | 3026 | 1875 | 892 | 663 | 784 | 5400 | 5493 | 7543 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:42PM2.09m | 2:01AM2.06m | 2:27PM2.08m | 2:46AM2.06m | 3:11PM2.04m | 3:31AM2.02m | 3:54PM1.97m | 4:15AM1.95m | 4:37PM1.87m | 5:01AM1.86m | 5:22PM1.76m | 5:49AM1.76m | 6:11PM1.66m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:50PM0.07m | 8:11AM-0.02m | 8:35PM0.06m | 8:57AM0.02m | 9:19PM0.09m | 9:42AM0.09m | 10:03PM0.16m | 10:28AM0.20m | 10:49PM0.25m | 11:16AM0.33m | 11:37PM0.36m | 12:08PM0.45m | 00:29AM0.46m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | |  | | | |  |  | |  | |  | | | | | | | |
 | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — |
 | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:23 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:29 | — | — | 6:30 | — |
mm | 1 | 1 | — | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
Temp °C | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
Feels °C | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 19 | SSW 18 | SW 18 | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | ENE 13 | ENE 13 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | — | — | — |
| kJ | 11786 | 14620 | 14037 | — | — | — | — | 20424 | 18 | 17 | 7626 | 5050 | 4491 | 3026 | 1875 | 892 | 663 | 784 | — | — | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 13 | ENE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 4 | WNW 4 | NE 4 | ENE 6 | — | — | — |
| kJ | 44 | 40 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 15 | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 10 | S 9 | E 11 | NE 11 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | 6 | 3 | 5 | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | — | — | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | — | SW 16 | SW 16 | — | — | SW 14 | NW 5 | N 3 | NNE 4 | NW 4 | W 6 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 14 |
| kJ | 4250 | — | — | 17229 | 17960 | 26085 | 25762 | — | 15212 | 9884 | — | — | 5528 | 18 | 1 | 15 | 15 | 288 | 5400 | 5493 | 7543 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 29 | 29 | 21 | 167 | 277 | 180 | 275 | 167 | 187 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 11 | 89 | 84 | 428 | 81 |
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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