Surf Forecasts:
Punakaiki surf forecast from 20 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 23 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 16s period, W swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 28 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 14s period, W swell with 12,445 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 21 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 14s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Punakaiki this week:
The surf forecast for Punakaiki over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 21) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 14s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Punakaiki in the next 16 days are 5.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 28) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 22) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Mon 21st Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Wed 23rd Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Mon 28th Sep) | 18ft (5.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Punakaiki over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Mon night. Very mild (max 11°C on Mon morning, min 7°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon afternoon, fresh winds from the SW by Tue morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Fri night. Very mild (max 13°C on Sat night, min 9°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 21 | Tuesday 22 | Wednesday 23 | Thursday 24 | Friday 25 | Saturday 26 | Sunday 27 | |||||||||||||||
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) | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | W 10 | W 15 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | WSW 13 | W 12 | WSW 12 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 7 | W 8 | W 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 3022 | 1835 | 960 | 2269 | 2363 | 1971 | 4596 | 3644 | 3647 | 2265 | 1739 | 1048 | 836 | 690 | 522 | 192 | 227 | 329 | 358 | 1141 | 9410 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 6:56PM2.10m | 7:31AM2.11m | 7:51PM2.24m | 8:20AM2.26m | 8:36PM2.41m | 9:01AM2.43m | 9:15PM2.58m | 9:38AM2.58m | 9:52PM2.73m | 10:14AM2.72m | 10:29PM2.85m | 10:50AM2.82m | 11:06PM2.92m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:37PM0.95m | 1:15AM0.84m | 1:38PM0.82m | 2:07AM0.68m | 2:25PM0.66m | 2:50AM0.49m | 3:05PM0.48m | 3:28AM0.32m | 3:43PM0.32m | 4:05AM0.17m | 4:19PM0.19m | 4:41AM0.06m | 4:57PM0.09m | ||||||||
 | |  | |  | | |  |  | |  | |  | |  | | | |  | | | |
 | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — |
 | — | 6:29 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:32 | — | — | 6:34 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 7:36 | — |
mm | — | — | 4 | — | 1 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 1 | — | 1 | 8 | 6 | 1 |
Temp °C | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 9 |
Feels °C | 9 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 1 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | — | — | — | W 15 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | WSW 13 | W 12 | W 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | W 23 | — | — |
| kJ | 3022 | 1835 | 960 | — | — | — | 4596 | 3644 | 3647 | 2265 | 1739 | 1048 | 836 | 690 | 522 | 173 | 227 | 329 | 11 | — | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 10 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | W 18 | — | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | W 24 | W 17 | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 360 | 408 | — | — | — | — | — | 25 | — | 192 | 145 | 11 | 6 | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 11 | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | N 3 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | W 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 7 | W 8 | W 12 |
| kJ | — | — | 5 | 2269 | 2363 | 1971 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 358 | 1141 | 9410 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 10 | 0 | 49 | 167 | 167 | 220 | 10 | 211 | 0 | 0 | 168 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 185 | 230 | 181 |
Best forecast wave conditions in West Coast South Island | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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 Punakaiki 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 Punakaiki Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Punakaiki provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Punakaiki can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Punakaiki 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 (Punakaiki) 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 Punakaiki 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.
Punakaiki is 186 km (116 miles) from the city of Nelson. If you plan a holiday in West Coast South Island, look for hotels and other accommodation in Nelson. Nelson has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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