Surf Forecasts:
Taylors Mistake surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 16s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 1 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 16s period, SSE swell with 917 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 28 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 8s period with ENE 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 Friday (Aug 28) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Taylors Mistake in the next 16 days are 1.4m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 5.0m 14s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Fri 28th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Taylors Mistake over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s in store for Taylors Mistake over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough watch out there for the foreseeable future. We’re looking at a long, blank run. From now, August 26th, all the way through to the start of September, there’s just nothing doing. We’re talking over a week of tiny, gutless waves with poor conditions for the most part. You’re seeing wind ripples, lumpy cross-shore chop, and wave heights barely scraping 1 ft. It’s not even worth paddling out.
There are some nice-looking moments for the environment, though. On the 30th of August, Sunday morning, it’s glassy with a 1 ft SE swell, but it’s just too small to be any fun. Same again on the 31st afternoon – glassy, 1 ft – but it’s a lake, not surf.
Finally, we get a flicker of hope. On Tuesday, the 1st of September, the morning brings a glassy clean 3 ft swell from the SSE with a very long period of 16 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy is a solid moderate 464. That’s the standout of the whole run. That long period will put some shape into the waves, especially for a reef or point setup, though at a beach break it can run a bit straight. Still, with glassy conditions and the water temp sitting right around 50°F, which is pretty much average for this time of year, it’s the only time you’ll want to be out. Keep in mind Taylors is fairly exposed to the ENE, so that SSE direction isn’t a perfect match, but the clean conditions make it the best on offer by a mile. It’s a beginner-friendly break, so it’s a good one to get a few easy ones.
After that morning, it drops right back off. The afternoon of the 1st goes cross-onshore and choppy, and the rest of the second week is a desert of tiny waves, onshore winds, and generally poor quality. The 10th of September looks particularly grim with onshore easterlies and nothing to ride.
So, to wrap it up: don’t bother getting the board wet until the 1st of September morning. That’s your one true window. After that, it’s a long wait.
Stay patient.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Wed night. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 6°C on Thu morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the ENE on Thu afternoon, calm by Fri night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat afternoon, min 7°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | SSE 17 | SSE 17 | SSE 17 | SSE 17 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | SE 12 | S 4 | SSE 17 | SSE 15 | SE 13 | S 12 | SSE 16 | SE 11 | SE 10 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 14 | 29 | 101 | 97 | 109 | 117 | 403 | 169 | 65 | 25 | 23 | 15 | 22 | 13 | 195 | 89 | 44 | 0 | 464 | 110 | 77 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | off | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:12PM2.17m | 3:31AM2.08m | 3:54PM2.19m | 4:13AM2.11m | 4:35PM2.22m | 4:55AM2.13m | 5:15PM2.25m | 5:40AM2.16m | 5:58PM2.26m | 6:27AM2.20m | 6:45PM2.26m | 7:16AM2.24m | 7:37PM2.25m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:23PM0.67m | 9:39AM0.60m | 10:07PM0.61m | 10:24AM0.54m | 10:51PM0.55m | 11:06AM0.50m | 11:34PM0.51m | 11:48AM0.47m | 00:17AM0.49m | 12:32PM0.47m | 1:01AM0.48m | 1:19PM0.49m | 1:48AM0.50m | ||||||||
 | |  |  |  |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — |
 | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — |
mm | — | — | 13 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 12 |
Feels °C | 11 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 4 | SSE 17 | SSE 17 | SSE 17 | SSE 17 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | NNE 4 | E 4 | SSE 17 | SSE 15 | SE 13 | — | SSE 16 | SE 11 | SE 10 |
| kJ | 7 | 29 | 101 | 97 | 109 | 30 | 13 | 169 | 65 | 25 | 23 | 15 | 3 | 7 | 195 | 89 | 44 | — | 464 | 110 | 77 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | E 12 | — | SSE 11 | NNW 3 | ESE 13 | N 3 | SE 12 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | NE 8 | E 11 | N 3 | — | — | SSE 13 | NE 11 |
| kJ | 14 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 3 | — | 13 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 62 | 5 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 17 | — | NE 7 | — | — | — | — | SE 14 | SE 14 | SSE 10 | ESE 13 | SE 10 | NNW 3 | SE 12 | E 12 | NE 10 | E 11 | — | — | S 18 | NE 11 |
| kJ | 23 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 29 | 10 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | 6 | 5 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NNE 4 | ESE 5 | E 4 | ENE 5 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | NNW 4 | — | N 4 | — | NNW 2 | SE 12 | S 4 | SW 3 | NNW 3 | — | S 12 | — | — | NE 4 |
| kJ | — | 11 | 15 | 9 | 61 | 117 | 403 | 18 | — | 9 | — | 1 | 22 | 13 | 4 | 1 | — | 446 | — | — | 7 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 31 | 1 | 1 | 32 | 246 | 63 | 52 | 133 | 0 | 31 | 4 | 22 | 155 | 31 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Canterbury | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
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