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Rabbit Island Surf Forecast
/ Nelson – Tasman Bay (18 surf breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Rabbit Island surfForecast / Nelson – Tasman Bay / New Zealand
16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 5 pm Tuesday 05 May 2026 NZSTForecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Rabbit Island surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Rabbit Island sea temperature is
16.4° C
(Which is 1.4°C warmer than normal for this time of year)Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Rabbit Island this week:
The surf forecast for Rabbit Island over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (May 07) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 6s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rabbit Island in the next 16 days are 2.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Friday (May 08) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.2m 10s period and expected on Saturday (May 09) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Thu 7th May) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 3PM (Sat 9th May) | 6ft (1.8m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Fri 8th May) | 8ft (2.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rabbit Island over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 19mm), heaviest on Fri morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu morning, min 8°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 31mm), heaviest during Fri night. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 7°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NNE on Fri afternoon, light winds from the N by Mon morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tue 5 | Wednesday 6 | Thursday 7 | Friday 8 | Saturday 9 | Sunday 10 | Monday 11 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
NW 4 | NW 4 | N 5 | N 5 | N 6 | N 6 | N 7 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 10 | N 10 | N 9 | N 8 | NNW 10 | NW 14 | NW 12 | NNW 14 | NW 14 | NE 3 | NW 15 | |
7 | 14 | 2 | 13 | 22 | 148 | 199 | 466 | 357 | 478 | 1109 | 0 | 533 | 108 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | on | glassy | glassy | |
High Tide | 00:16AM3.88m | 12:35PM3.53m | 00:49AM3.71m | 1:18PM3.41m | 1:27AM3.51m | 2:07PM3.28m | 2:14AM3.32m | 3:05PM3.18m | 3:18AM3.19m | 4:13PM3.14m | 4:35AM3.18m | 5:21PM3.17m | 5:48AM3.32m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:50PM1.12m | 5:55AM1.17m | 6:30PM1.25m | 6:31AM1.29m | 7:14PM1.37m | 7:15AM1.44m | 8:02PM1.47m | 8:11AM1.59m | 8:56PM1.54m | 9:22AM1.67m | 10:00PM1.58m | 10:43AM1.64m | 11:14PM1.54m | 11:55AM1.47m | |||||||
 |  | | |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |  | | | | | | |  | | |
 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 |
 | 5:29 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | 5:21 |
— | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 19 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | |
Temp °C | 11 | 9 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 12 |
9 | 8 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 11 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 4 | NNW 4 | N 5 | NW 16 | N 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 9 | N 8 | N 7 | NNW 10 | N 5 | NNW 14 | NW 14 | NE 3 | NNW 6 |
 kJ | 2 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 533 | 108 | 27 | 52 | 12 | 76 | 53 | 2 | 4 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 12 | NNW 10 | NW 14 | NW 12 | — | — | NW 15 | NW 15 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 54 | 32 | 48 | 37 | — | — | 8 | 8 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 15 | — | NNW 9 | — | — | NW 7 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 21 | — | 15 | — | — | 2 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 4 | NW 4 | — | N 5 | — | N 6 | N 7 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 10 | N 10 | — | NNW 8 | WSW 2 | — | — | WSW 2 | — | NNE 3 | — |
| kJ | 7 | 14 | — | 13 | — | 148 | 199 | 466 | 357 | 478 | 1109 | 706 | — | 202 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 92 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 90 | 0 | 122 | 127 | 127 | 188 | 127 | 122 | 0 | 8 | 108 | 77 | 142 | 8 | 134 | 77 | 77 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Nelson - Tasman Bay | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 Rabbit Island 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 Rabbit Island Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Rabbit Island provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Rabbit Island can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Rabbit Island 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 (Rabbit Island) 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 Rabbit Island 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Nelson - Tasman Bay? If you are looking for accommodation near Rabbit Island, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Nelson - Tasman Bay, consider staying in Nelson which is 11 km (7 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in Blenheim which is 73 km (45 miles) away
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