Schnappers Point Surf Break

Lat Long: 41.20° S 173.33° E

Schnappers Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 am 24 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Schnappers Point sea temperature is
12.4°C
0.2° 

Schnappers Point surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Schnappers Point surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 26 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 5s period, NW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 28 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, NNW swell with 1,323 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 26 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 5s period with NW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Schnappers Point this week:

The surf forecast for Schnappers Point over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 5s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Schnappers Point in the next 16 days are 3.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) 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 0.8m 7s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 3PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 3PM (Wed 26th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 5s
Best Surf 3PM (Wed 26th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 5s
Most Powerful 3PM (Fri 28th Aug)10ft (3.0m) 9s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Schnappers Point over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s heading our way for the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with you – this is a tough one to write. The first week is pretty much a write-off, and even when we get a few pulses of energy, the conditions are just fighting us every step of the way.

The only real option on the table is Schnappers Point. It’s a point break, fairly consistent, and it wants swell from the NW. Problem is, for the first few days we’re looking at tiny, weak waves with poor surf conditions. We’re talking Monday morning, August 24th, with a tiny 1 ft swell from the NNW, but the wind is a messy cross-shore and the combined energy is a weak 109. It’s not even worth paddling out for.

The pattern doesn’t get any better through Tuesday and Wednesday, August 25th and 26th. The swell drops off completely to zero for a couple of sessions. On Wednesday afternoon, we finally see a tiny 3 ft wave from the NW with glassy conditions, but the period is a pathetic 5 seconds and the combined energy is only 42. It’s surfable, but only just. Thursday morning, August 27th, is a similar story – 3 ft, glassy, but no real power.

Then things get ugly. Friday, August 28th, brings a big pulse of swell – 7 ft on the morning and jumping to 10 ft in the afternoon from the NNW – but with it comes heavy rain and howling onshore winds. The combined energy spikes to 1890 in the afternoon, which is a massive amount of power, but it’s completely unsurfable. The wind is just tearing it apart. For a beach break that’s a point, this setup would be more interesting for kite surfing than a paddle session.

Saturday, August 29th, we get a bit of a reset. The swell drops to 3 ft from the N, with a light cross-offshore breeze and clean conditions. The combined energy is a weak 99. It’s rideable, but honestly, nothing to write home about. The rest of that weekend and into the following week is just a dribble of tiny, low-energy swell.

The standout? There really isn’t one. The best chance you’ve got is a very marginal one on Saturday afternoon, September 5th. That session shows a 4 ft swell from the NW with glassy conditions, a moderate combined energy of 147, and a 6-second period. It’s the biggest clean wave in the entire forecast, but it’s still just average. For a more reliable wave, you’d want a longer period, and this one is short. It’s a long way out, too, so keep your expectations low.

The water temp at Schnappers Point is 54°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Bottom line: don’t get your hopes up. The first week is a washout, and the second week offers only a glimmer of something rideable. Surf forecasts can change, but right now, this stretch looks like a good time to work on your board wax collection.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Some drizzle, heaviest during Wed afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 10°C on Mon morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Tue afternoon, calm by Wed night).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 32mm), heaviest during Fri morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat afternoon, min 7°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the N on Fri morning, calm by Sat night).

Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
Friday
28
Saturday
29
Sunday
30
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
3
1
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
NNW
15
0.4
NNW
7
0.2
NNW
15
0.2
NNW
15
0.6
NNW
5
0.7
W
4
0.4
NW
5
0.9
NW
5
0.9
NW
5
0.9
NNW
5
0.9
NNW
5
1.1
N
6
2.1
N
8
3
NNW
9
1.6
NNW
9
0.9
N
8
0.7
N
8
0.5
N
7
0.4
N
7
0.3
NNW
7
0.1
N
6
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
89
18
23
23
0
12
0
42
49
45
51
72
487
1323
371
99
57
26
15
9
1
Wind (km/h)
15
WSW
15
WSW
15
SW
10
WSW
30
WSW
25
SW
10
WSW
5
WNW
0
WNW
5
NNE
25
N
30
N
40
N
25
N
5
W
10
SW
10
WNW
10
WSW
25
WSW
20
SW
20
SW
Wind State
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
glassy
glassy
glassy
on
on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
7:27PM2.58m
7:54AM2.55m
8:18PM2.77m
8:40AM2.74m
9:00PM2.98m
9:19AM2.93m
9:36PM3.17m
9:55AM3.10m
10:10PM3.32m
10:30AM3.24m
10:44PM3.42m
11:04AM3.33m
11:19PM3.46m
Low Tide
1:09PM1.01m
1:47AM0.92m
2:04PM0.82m
2:34AM0.70m
2:48PM0.61m
3:14AM0.48m
3:26PM0.41m
3:50AM0.28m
4:02PM0.24m
4:24AM0.13m
4:36PM0.13m
4:58AM0.03m
5:11PM0.07m
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
cloud
light rain
rain showers
light rain
heavy rain
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:03
7:03
7:01
7:00
6:58
6:56
6:54
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:53
5:54
5:55
5:57
5:58
5:59
6:00
 mm
1
1
2
5
22
2
Temp °C
14
16
11
14
14
12
14
14
13
13
14
13
13
14
12
15
16
9
14
15
10
Feels °C
10
12
7
9
7
6
12
13
13
13
10
9
6
10
9
12
13
8
9
10
4
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Schnappers Point:

join our community of surf reporters

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 Schnappers Point 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 Schnappers Point Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Schnappers Point provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Schnappers Point can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Schnappers Point 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 (Schnappers Point) 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 Schnappers Point 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 Schnappers Point, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Nelson - Tasman Bay, consider staying in Nelson which is 14 km (9 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in Blenheim which is 62 km (39 miles) away

Nearest locationNearest