Surf Forecasts:
Punakaiki surf forecast from 22 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 15s period, W swell with onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 15s period, W swell with 11,902 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 15s 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 (Aug 24) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 4.0m and 15s period. The wind is predicted to be onshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Punakaiki in the next 16 days are 5.5m 15s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 18ft (5.5m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Punakaiki over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 52mm), heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 13°C on Sat afternoon, min 10°C on Sat morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the W on Sun morning, light winds from the WNW by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 72mm), heaviest during Wed night. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu afternoon, min 12°C on Tue afternoon). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Tue morning, calm by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | W 10 | WNW 8 | WNW 10 | W 12 | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | WSW 14 | W 8 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 12 | W 16 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | NW 10 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 339 | 551 | 1429 | 4836 | 6986 | 11902 | 6445 | 4343 | 2652 | 834 | 809 | 2419 | 1759 | 1266 | 852 | 309 | 248 | 434 | 400 | 457 | 2120 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 10:11AM2.54m | 10:25PM2.69m | 10:46AM2.65m | 11:00PM2.79m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 4:03AM0.37m | 4:16PM0.37m | 4:39AM0.24m | 4:52PM0.26m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | | | | | | | | | |  |  | |  | |  | | | |
 | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — |
 | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:05 | — |
mm | — | 3 | 30 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 26 | 9 | 11 | 5 | — | 2 | 27 |
Temp °C | 12 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
Feels °C | 7 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 13 | W 10 | WSW 16 | — | — | — | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | W 13 |
| kJ | 339 | 551 | 87 | — | — | — | 6445 | 4343 | 2652 | 834 | 500 | 2419 | 1759 | 1266 | 852 | 118 | 181 | 434 | 400 | 457 | 121 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 20 | WSW 13 | W 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 20 | W 12 | W 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | W 13 | W 23 |
| kJ | 30 | 59 | 118 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 309 | 248 | 218 | 247 | 168 | 166 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WSW 19 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 17 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | W 24 | W 24 | — |
| kJ | — | 122 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 146 | 111 | 14 | 11 | 46 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 3 | — | WNW 8 | WNW 10 | W 12 | W 15 | — | — | — | W 8 | W 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 10 |
| kJ | 4 | — | 1429 | 4836 | 6986 | 11902 | — | — | — | 581 | 809 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2120 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 49 | 185 | 185 | 185 | 201 | 167 | 167 | 167 | 185 | 185 | 190 | 48 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 38 | 167 | 92 | 168 | 168 |
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