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Punakaiki Surf Forecast
/ West Coast South Island (21 surf breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Punakaiki surfForecast / West Coast South Island / New Zealand
12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 12 pm Thursday 19 Feb 2026 NZDTForecast 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
18.8° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)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 Monday (Feb 23) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 13s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Punakaiki in the next 12 days are 2.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Feb 21) 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 0.7m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Feb 24) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Mon 23rd Feb) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Mon 23rd Feb) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Sat 21st Feb) | 8ft (2.5m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Punakaiki over the next 12 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range Forecast Heavy rain (total 27mm), heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Fri afternoon, light winds from the W by Sat afternoon). | Days 3-6 Weather Summary Moderate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Mon night. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 19 | Friday 20 | Saturday 21 | Sunday 22 | Monday 23 | Tuesday 24 | Wednesday 25 | |||||||||||||||
| 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) (?) | 16 | 15 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 16 | 15 |
Wave (?)Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ (?) | 256 | 128 | 491 | 290 | 955 | 679 | 2069 | 1810 | 1643 | 786 | 821 | 1419 | 957 | 589 | 274 | 218 | 696 | 501 | 800 | 2294 | 1611 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Wind State (?) onshore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore offshore glassy | cross- off | cross- off | on | on | on | cross- on | cross- on | on | cross- off | on | on | glass | glass | on | cross- off | cross- off | glass | glass | cross- off | cross- on | glass |
High Tide / height (m) | 12:56PM 2.92 | 1:18AM 2.82 | 1:34PM 2.93 | 1:56AM 2.80 | 2:13PM 2.87 | 2:37AM 2.74 | 2:57PM 2.76 | 3:21AM 2.63 | 3:46PM 2.60 | 4:13AM 2.49 | 4:45PM 2.43 | 5:18AM 2.36 | 6:00PM 2.29 | ||||||||
Low Tide / height (m) | 7:10PM 0.01 | 7:24AM 0.09 | 7:48PM 0.02 | 8:04AM 0.11 | 8:28PM 0.10 | 8:46AM 0.20 | 9:12PM 0.23 | 9:34AM 0.32 | 10:02PM 0.41 | 10:30AM 0.47 | 11:02PM 0.58 | 11:39AM 0.60 | 12:16AM 0.70 | ||||||||
Thursday 19 | Friday 20 | Saturday 21 | Sunday 22 | Monday 23 | Tuesday 24 | Wednesday 25 | |||||||||||||||
| Sunrise | 7:01 | - | - | 7:01 | - | - | 7:03 | - | - | 7:03 | - | - | 7:05 | - | - | 7:07 | - | - | 7:07 | - | - |
| Sunset | - | 8:35 | - | - | 8:32 | - | - | 8:31 | - | - | 8:30 | - | - | 8:29 | - | - | 8:27 | - | - | 8:25 | - |
 |  |  |  | |  | | | | | | | |  | | | |  | | | | |
Rain (mm) | 2 | - | 3 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 16 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Temp. °C | 16 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 15 |
| Feels °C (?) | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 15 |
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Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
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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 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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