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Rabbit Island Surf Forecast
/ Nelson – Tasman Bay (18 surf breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Rabbit Island surfForecast / Nelson – Tasman Bay / New Zealand
12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 12 pm Tuesday 16 Dec 2025 NZDTForecast 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
19.3° C
(Which is 3.8°C warmer than normal for this time of year)Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Rabbit Island this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Rabbit Island in the next 12 days are 1.2m 6s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Dec 19) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 7s period and expected on Tuesday (Dec 16) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Fri 19th Dec) | 4ft (1.2m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rabbit Island over the next 12 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range Forecast Heavy rain (total 28mm), heaviest during Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue night, min 9°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 3-6 Weather Summary Some drizzle, heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 21°C on Fri night, min 9°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 16 | Wednesday 17 | Thursday 18 | Friday 19 | Saturday 20 | Sunday 21 | Monday 22 | |||||||||||||||
| AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Rating (10 max) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
| Wave Height (m) & direction (?) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Period(s) (?) | 8 | 8 | 7 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
Wave (?)Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ (?) | 354 | 187 | 68 | 0 | 13 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 28 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 52 | 11 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Wind State (?) onshore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore offshore glassy | on | glass | cross- off | off | off | on | glass | cross- off | glass | cross- off | cross- off | cross- on | cross- off | cross- off | cross- off | off | cross- off | glass | off | glass | glass |
High Tide / height (m) | 8:33PM 3.47 | 9:09AM 3.53 | 9:18PM 3.50 | 9:58AM 3.70 | 10:00PM 3.53 | 10:38AM 3.84 | 10:41PM 3.58 | 11:14AM 3.93 | 11:21PM 3.65 | 11:48AM 3.97 | 12:01AM 3.70 | 12:23PM 3.97 | 12:41AM 3.73 | ||||||||
Low Tide / height (m) | 2:16PM 1.50 | 2:34AM 1.43 | 3:01PM 1.44 | 3:15AM 1.37 | 3:42PM 1.37 | 3:55AM 1.31 | 4:18PM 1.30 | 4:36AM 1.26 | 4:52PM 1.22 | 5:18AM 1.20 | 5:27PM 1.16 | 6:01AM 1.13 | 6:02PM 1.13 | ||||||||
Tuesday 16 | Wednesday 17 | Thursday 18 | Friday 19 | Saturday 20 | Sunday 21 | Monday 22 | |||||||||||||||
| Sunrise | 5:48 | - | - | 5:48 | - | - | 5:48 | - | - | 5:48 | - | - | 5:48 | - | - | 5:50 | - | - | 5:50 | - | - |
| Sunset | - | 8:55 | - | - | 8:57 | - | - | 8:58 | - | - | 8:58 | - | - | 8:59 | - | - | 8:59 | - | - | 9:00 | - |
 |  |  |  |  | | | |  | | | |  | |  | | | | |  | | |
Rain (mm) | 10 | 16 | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 29 |
| Temp. °C | 17 | 18 | 19 | 10 | 18 | 19 | 11 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 20 | 21 | 10 | 17 | 19 | 9 | 18 | 20 | 14 | 15 | 17 |
| Feels °C (?) | 15 | 19 | 17 | 7 | 13 | 17 | 10 | 15 | 16 | 11 | 18 | 19 | 7 | 13 | 14 | 6 | 14 | 19 | 13 | 16 | 17 |
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Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.
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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 12 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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