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Surf Forecasts:

Punakaiki surf break

Punakaiki surfForecast / West Coast South Island / New Zealand

information circle12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 11 am Wednesday 17 Sep 2025 NZST
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Punakaiki surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Punakaiki sea temperature is
12.6° C
 (Which is normal for this time of year)

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Punakaiki this week:

The surf forecast for Punakaiki over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 18) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 4.0m and 11s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-onshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Punakaiki in the next 12 days are 3.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 19) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 4.0m 10s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 21) at 12PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)12AM (Thu 18th Sep)13ft (4.0m) 11s
Best Surf12AM (Thu 18th Sep)13ft (4.0m) 11s
Most Powerful 3AM (Fri 19th Sep)11ft (3.5m) 14s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Punakaiki over the next 12 days.

Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent 
12 DaysHourly
Print Table

Short Range Forecast Heavy rain (total 43mm), heaviest during Wed night. Very mild (max 14°C on Wed morning, min 8°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NNW on Wed afternoon, calm by Fri afternoon).

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Heavy rain (total 42mm), heaviest during Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 13°C on Sun morning, min 9°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NNE on Sun morning, calm by Mon morning).

Wednesday
17
Thursday
18
Friday
19
Saturday
20
Sunday
21
Monday
22
Tuesday
23
AMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNight
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
!
0
0
0
5
3
4
2
1
0
0
!
4
5
3
4
4
3
3
Swell
Height Map
See all maps
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
1.3
WSW
3
WNW
4
WNW
3.5
WNW
3.5
WNW
3
W
3
W
2.5
W
2.1
W
1.6
W
1.2
W
0.5
W
0.7
WSW
4
NW
3
NW
2.5
W
2.5
W
2.2
W
1.9
W
1.7
W
1.7
W
Period(s) (?)14911111114131312111216151211141312121213
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy kJ (?)69414733609286726274084314923181269621404139222407117082491231314591054830976
Wind
(km/h)
30
NNW
35
NNW
20
W
30
W
20
WSW
25
SW
10
E
5
WNW
10
ENE
15
NNE
20
N
25
NE
50
NNE
20
WSW
10
NE
5
NNE
10
WSW
5
SE
0
NNE
5
W
15
NE
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
crosscrosscross-
on		ononcross-
on		cross-
off		cross-
on		offcross-
off		cross-
off		cross-
off		cross-
off		oncross-
off		glassoncross-
off		glassglassoff
High Tide
/ height (m)
7:31PM
2.39
8:08AM
2.36
8:29PM
2.51
8:59AM
2.48
9:16PM
2.63
9:41AM
2.59
9:56PM
2.73
10:18AM
2.67
10:32PM
2.78
10:52AM
2.72
11:06PM
2.79
11:25AM
2.73
11:39PM
2.76
Low Tide
/ height (m)
1:11PM
0.70
1:50AM
0.54
2:13PM
0.58
2:45AM
0.41
3:03PM
0.44
3:30AM
0.29
3:46PM
0.32
4:09AM
0.20
4:23PM
0.24
4:45AM
0.15
4:59PM
0.20
5:18AM
0.15
5:32PM
0.21
Wednesday
17
Thursday
18
Friday
19
Saturday
20
Sunday
21
Monday
22
Tuesday
23
Sunrise6:33--6:31--6:30--6:28--6:26--6:24--6:22--
Sunset-6:24--6:25--6:27--6:28--6:29--6:30--6:30-
cloud
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
thunderstorm
rain showers
clear
clear
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
heavy rain
heavy rain
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
Rain (mm)
-325645------1428------1
Temp. °C14141411111011119111111131211131311131311
Feels °C (?)9885639856535991211911116
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder

Eyeball surf reportRecent Eyeball Surf Reports for West Coast South Island

  1. weather stationWind Update Still cross-shore at Punakaiki (moderate winds from the NNW at WestportAeroAws 46 km from Punakaiki). 2.9m 8s swell from the WNW with a 0.6m 14s groundswell from the W and a 0.6m 14s groundswell from the WSW. 3 swells combining so expect closeout sets.

    1 hour 26 minutes ago Punakaiki
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46 km away, 1 h 26 min ago

20 km/h
NNW
0.0
12.6
Air / Water (°C)
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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.

View detailed surf forecast for Punakaiki at:
surf-forecast.com

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 12 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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