Surf Forecasts:
Taylors Mistake surf forecast from 12 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 18 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period, ESE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 21s period, SSE swell with 578 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 16 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 13s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Taylors Mistake this week:
The surf forecast for Taylors Mistake over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 16) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 5s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Taylors Mistake in the next 16 days are 0.8m 21s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 19s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 18) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Thu 16th Jul) | 1ft (0.3m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 21s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Taylors Mistake over the next 16 days.
Righto, let’s do that again in feet and knots.
It’s a slow start at Taylors Mistake. Water’s about 50°F, which is normal for July, but the first few days are a write-off. Tiny east swell, weak energy (26-35), and messy cross-shore winds. Don’t bother.
Nothing really happens until Thursday, July 16th. We see a glassy 1ft east swell with a 13-second period and energy at 56—paddlable, but barely. That afternoon picks up to 2ft with a 16-second period, energy jumps to 131, but it’s still very ordinary.
Friday the 17th is the first good sign. Clean 3ft east groundswell, 16-second period, offshore wind. Energy hits 401. That afternoon: 4ft, glassy, energy at 507. Clean, fun, small waves for the beginners.
Saturday the 18th morning holds at 4ft clean. But the afternoon is a treat: the swell drops to 2ft but switches to a very long-period SSE groundswell at 23 seconds. Energy cranks to 793. That’s a powerful little pulse. Glassy and offshore. Best of the first week.
Sunday the 19th through Tuesday the 21st is small and clean—2ft to 2ft, energy between 147 and 264. Glassy or light offshores. Tiny, but tidy.
Wednesday the 22nd is messy again with a 4ft NE windswell (6 seconds, energy 209) and onshore wind. Thursday the 23rd morning is 6ft east swell, 11 seconds, energy 858, but cross-shore. The big news is Thursday afternoon: a massive 10ft east-northeast swell, 12-second period, with energy at 3680. It’s glassy, but that’s way too big for this spot. Experts only, and even then, it’s gonna be a maelstrom.
Friday the 24th is still big (6ft, 13-14 seconds, energy 1100+) but with bad wind. Saturday the 25th is the absolute jackpot. Clean 6ft east swell, 12-13 seconds, with glassy or light offshore wind. Energy sits around 1000. That Saturday afternoon, dead calm and glassy? That’s as good as it gets here.
Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th hold at 5-6ft east swell, 12-13 seconds, with clean glassy conditions. Energy still strong at 722-771. A beautiful run to close out the forecast, but by Monday you’re two weeks out, so keep your fingers crossed.
Bottom line: Saturday 18th July afternoon for the weird powerful long-period pulse, and Saturday 25th July through Sunday 26th July for the classic east swell with perfect conditions. That’s your window.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue afternoon, min 6°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 11°C on Wed afternoon, min 6°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sun 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | NNE 4 | NNE 4 | NE 8 | NNE 4 | N 4 | NNE 4 | E 12 | NE 7 | E 13 | E 13 | E 16 | E 16 | E 16 | E 16 | E 15 | E 16 | SSE 23 | SSE 21 | SSE 16 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 26 | 14 | 16 | 21 | 26 | 29 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 31 | 127 | 267 | 401 | 507 | 464 | 496 | 404 | 519 | 146 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | glassy | glassy | off | glassy | off | cross-off | off | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 2:46AM2.37m | 3:12PM2.58m | 3:43AM2.42m | 4:09PM2.63m | 4:38AM2.46m | 5:05PM2.63m | 5:33AM2.46m | 6:00PM2.60m | 6:29AM2.43m | 6:54PM2.53m | 7:25AM2.39m | 7:50PM2.45m | 8:22AM2.35m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:35PM0.41m | 8:52AM0.32m | 9:32PM0.32m | 9:51AM0.25m | 10:29PM0.26m | 10:50AM0.19m | 11:25PM0.22m | 11:46AM0.15m | 00:21AM0.23m | 12:39PM0.15m | 1:14AM0.26m | 1:32PM0.22m | 2:06AM0.31m | ||||||||
 |  | |  |  |  | |  | | |  | | | | | | |  | | | | |
 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:56 | — | — | 7:56 | — | — | 7:56 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:54 |
 | 5:08 | — | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:14 | — | 5:15 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 8 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 10 |
Feels °C | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | NE 8 | E 9 | ENE 6 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | SE 4 | E 13 | E 16 | E 16 | E 16 | E 16 | E 15 | E 16 | ESE 15 | SSE 21 | NE 5 |
| kJ | 26 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 2 | 31 | 127 | 267 | 401 | 507 | 464 | 496 | 380 | 502 | 29 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 10 | S 13 | S 13 | E 9 | S 8 | E 10 | E 13 | NNE 3 | E 12 | ENE 7 | ESE 5 | E 5 | E 4 | S 15 | SSW 11 | S 14 | S 19 | SSE 23 | E 14 | E 13 |
| kJ | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 22 | 4 | 1609 | 404 | 195 | 89 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 15 | S 15 | — | — | S 12 | S 20 | E 15 | E 10 | E 12 | S 19 | E 13 | E 16 | — | S 15 | SSW 9 | S 14 | S 25 | S 23 | SE 6 | ESE 14 | SSE 16 |
| kJ | 4 | 4 | — | — | 3 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 7 | 14 | 21 | — | 5 | 30 | 36 | 13 | 1509 | 9 | 519 | 146 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | ENE 4 | NNE 4 | NNE 4 | NNE 4 | NNE 4 | N 4 | NNE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 23 | — | NE 4 | — |
| kJ | — | 13 | 16 | 21 | 26 | 29 | 13 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 384 | — | 13 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 4 | 36 | 36 | 31 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Canterbury | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 Taylors Mistake 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 Taylors Mistake Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Taylors Mistake provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Taylors Mistake can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Taylors Mistake 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 (Taylors Mistake) 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 Taylors Mistake 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 Canterbury? If you are looking for accommodation near Taylors Mistake, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Canterbury, consider staying in Christchurch which is 10 km (6 miles) away.
Nearest