Surf Forecasts:
Punakaiki surf forecast from 17 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 20 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 16s period, W swell with onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 20 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 16s period, W swell with 12,854 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 18 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 16s 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 Friday (Sep 18) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 2.0m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Punakaiki in the next 16 days are 5.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 20) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 22) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Sun 20th Sep) | 16ft (5.0m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Sun 20th Sep) | 16ft (5.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Punakaiki over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Sat morning. Very mild (max 12°C on Sat morning, min 6°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri night, strong winds from the SW by Sat night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Mon night. Very mild (max 12°C on Mon afternoon, min 9°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Sun afternoon, calm by Mon afternoon). | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | Monday 21 | Tuesday 22 | Wednesday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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 14 | W 16 | WSW 15 | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | WSW 15 | W 9 | W 14 | W 16 | W 17 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | WSW 13 | W 9 | WSW 15 | WSW 16 | W 16 | W 16 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 971 | 1630 | 1382 | 2404 | 2278 | 2311 | 1275 | 2371 | 10330 | 12854 | 9169 | 4338 | 2457 | 1285 | 744 | 1553 | 1441 | 4053 | 2804 | 2265 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | on | on | on | on | on | on | cross-off | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 2:54AM2.20m | 3:18PM2.17m | 3:52AM2.05m | 4:23PM2.05m | 5:08AM1.97m | 5:43PM2.02m | 6:27AM2.00m | 6:56PM2.10m | 7:31AM2.11m | 7:51PM2.24m | 8:20AM2.26m | 8:36PM2.41m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:46PM0.70m | 9:07AM0.81m | 9:40PM0.86m | 10:07AM0.95m | 10:49PM0.95m | 11:22AM1.01m | 00:07AM0.95m | 12:37PM0.95m | 1:15AM0.84m | 1:38PM0.82m | 2:07AM0.68m | 2:25PM0.66m | 2:50AM0.49m | |||||||
 |  |  | |  |  |  |  | | |  | | | |  |  |  | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — |
 | 6:24 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:29 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | 1 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 6 | — | 1 | 8 | 1 | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 |
Feels °C | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | W 10 | WSW 15 | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | WSW 15 | — | — | W 16 | W 17 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | WSW 13 | — | WSW 15 | WSW 16 | W 16 | W 16 |
| kJ | 832 | 761 | 1382 | 2404 | 2278 | 2311 | 1275 | — | — | 12854 | 9169 | 4338 | 2457 | 1285 | 692 | — | 1441 | 4053 | 2804 | 2265 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 14 | W 16 | W 10 | NNW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 9 | W 10 | W 10 |
| kJ | 971 | 1630 | 464 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 289 | 477 | 716 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 7 | N 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 10 | — |
| kJ | — | 25 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 428 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 8 | W 9 | W 14 | — | — | — | — | N 3 | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 491 | 2371 | 10330 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 744 | 1553 | 798 | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 30 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 181 | 167 | 650 | 25 | 38 | 48 | 49 | 167 | 168 | 192 | 30 | 378 | 0 |
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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