Surf Forecasts:
Punakaiki surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 15s period, W swell with onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 15s period, W swell with 5,659 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 14s period with WSW 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 Thursday (Aug 20) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m 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 3.5m 15s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 7s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Punakaiki over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 13°C on Sat afternoon, min 9°C on Thu morning). Winds increasing (calm on Thu night, strong winds from the W by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 36mm), heaviest during Tue night. Very mild (max 13°C on Tue morning, min 10°C on Sun morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Sun afternoon, calm by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | W 13 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 11 | W 15 | W 14 | W 15 | W 14 | WSW 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | NW 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 605 | 485 | 465 | 355 | 341 | 269 | 463 | 846 | 1042 | 1583 | 1976 | 3438 | 4297 | 3249 | 2040 | 1431 | 492 | 1992 | 1155 | 892 | 530 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | on | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross | off |
High Tide | 4:04PM2.18m | 4:35AM2.08m | 5:08PM2.08m | 5:48AM2.01m | 6:23PM2.06m | 7:03AM2.04m | 7:31PM2.13m | 8:04AM2.14m | 8:26PM2.26m | 8:53AM2.27m | 9:10PM2.41m | 9:34AM2.41m | 9:49PM2.56m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:51AM0.76m | 10:23PM0.83m | 10:51AM0.91m | 11:30PM0.92m | 12:02PM0.97m | 00:44AM0.92m | 1:13PM0.93m | 1:49AM0.83m | 2:12PM0.82m | 2:42AM0.69m | 3:00PM0.67m | 3:25AM0.53m | 3:40PM0.51m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | |  | |  |  |  |  | | | | | | |  |  | | | |
 | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — |
 | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | 4 | 2 | 8 | 13 | — | — | 11 |
Temp °C | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 |
Feels °C | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | W 13 | WNW 11 | WSW 16 | — | — | W 11 | W 15 | W 14 | W 15 | W 14 | WSW 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | WSW 12 |
| kJ | 605 | 485 | 465 | 355 | 341 | 269 | 463 | 846 | 87 | — | — | 3438 | 4297 | 3249 | 2040 | 1431 | 492 | 1992 | 1155 | 892 | 528 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | W 6 | — | W 20 | W 20 | W 13 | W 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 7 | NW 7 | W 18 |
| kJ | — | — | — | 20 | — | 7 | 30 | 90 | 118 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 179 | 143 | 98 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | W 5 | — | — | — | WNW 10 | W 9 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 7 | — | — | — | NW 8 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 14 | — | — | — | 1042 | 1583 | 1976 | — | — | — | — | — | 443 | — | — | — | 530 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 26 | 185 | 185 | 201 | 201 | 178 | 10 | 25 | 10 | 185 | 185 | 38 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in West Coast South Island | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
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 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.
Nearest