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Punakaiki Surf Forecast
/ West Coast South Island (21 surf breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Punakaiki surfForecast / West Coast South Island / New Zealand
16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 11 pm Wednesday 20 May 2026 NZSTForecast 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
15.1° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)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 (May 21) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 17s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Punakaiki in the next 16 days are 2.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (May 21) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 10s period and expected on Friday (May 22) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Thu 21st May) | 8ft (2.5m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Thu 21st May) | 8ft (2.5m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Thu 21st May) | 8ft (2.5m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Punakaiki over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 32mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu morning, min 11°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 21 | Friday 22 | Saturday 23 | Sunday 24 | Monday 25 | Tuesday 26 | Wed 27 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
W 12 | NW 8 | NW 9 | NW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | WSW 12 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | W 12 | W 12 | WSW 10 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | |
76 | 398 | 918 | 1068 | 468 | 379 | 511 | 507 | 424 | 313 | 1611 | 1180 | 763 | 478 | 303 | 155 | 72 | 70 | 245 | 126 | 449 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | off | off | glassy | off | glassy | glassy | off | off | cross-off | |
High Tide | 1:44AM2.80m | 2:20PM2.60m | 2:44AM2.67m | 3:21PM2.46m | 3:47AM2.54m | 4:27PM2.36m | 4:53AM2.45m | 5:32PM2.31m | 5:57AM2.40m | 6:33PM2.31m | 6:56AM2.38m | 7:28PM2.35m | 7:49AM2.39m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:06AM0.19m | 8:29PM0.38m | 9:06AM0.32m | 9:30PM0.49m | 10:09AM0.43m | 10:34PM0.57m | 11:14AM0.50m | 11:38PM0.62m | 12:15PM0.54m | 00:40AM0.62m | 1:11PM0.54m | 1:35AM0.59m | 2:01PM0.52m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  |  |  | | | | |  |  | | |  | |  | | | |
 | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — |
 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:14 |
— | 1 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 9 | 6 | |
Temp °C | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 |
9 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 9 | 10 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 6 | NW 8 | NW 9 | NW 11 | NNW 10 | W 10 | WSW 12 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | W 5 | W 5 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 14 |
 kJ | 32 | 398 | 918 | 1068 | 421 | 379 | 511 | 507 | 424 | 313 | 1611 | 1180 | 763 | 478 | 303 | 155 | 28 | 36 | 245 | 115 | 449 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 12 | WNW 15 | WSW 11 | W 12 | W 10 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 11 | N 12 | N 12 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | N 8 | W 12 | W 12 | N 7 | N 6 | N 6 |
| kJ | 76 | 125 | 25 | 304 | 468 | 363 | 172 | 124 | 90 | 90 | 108 | 101 | 33 | 28 | 26 | 20 | 72 | 70 | 14 | 30 | 15 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 19 | WSW 12 | WSW 18 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | W 18 | W 16 | — | — | W 20 | — | — | — | — | N 13 | N 13 | N 7 | N 7 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | N 12 |
| kJ | 7 | 47 | 31 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 127 | — | — | 279 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 15 | 23 | 50 | 126 | 3 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 92 | 178 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
Best forecast wave conditions in West Coast South Island | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
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