
Surf Forecasts:
Taylors Mistake surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 19 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 13s period, E swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 17s period, ESE swell with 499 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 19 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 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 Sunday (Jul 19) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 19s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 13s. 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 0.9m 17s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 9s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 3PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Sat 25th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 17s |
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 on the cards for the next couple of weeks.
To be straight with you, the first week and a half is pretty flat. There’s a long gap here with almost nothing to get excited about. From Sunday the 19th right through to Saturday the 2nd of August, it’s mainly small, weak dribble. You’ll see a few pulses of energy, but the winds are often messy and the swell heights are just too small to bother with. We’re talking a lot of days with combined energy below 100, which is basically flat to weak. It’s a real patience tester.
The standout window is Sunday the 2nd of August and into Monday the 3rd. That’s where it’s at.
Taylors Mistake on Sunday the 2nd is your best bet. The morning starts with some clouds, but the wind is glassy – absolutely dead calm. That’s a massive plus for clean conditions. The swell is a solid 6 ft from the SE, with a period of 10 seconds. That’s moderate energy, but the combined energy is pumping at 712. It’s a fairly exposed break, so it’ll pick that up well. The water temp is 50°, which is about 1° above normal, so pretty average for the time of year. Because it’s over 5 ft, this is probably too much for the beginners. For the rest of us, the glassy conditions and that solid SE swell are going to be a treat. The afternoon holds up even better, with 7 ft from the SE and a 12-second period, combined energy hitting 1040. Glassy again. This is the surf you’ve been waiting for. It’s long range, so keep an eye on the charts, but the signs are good.
The next best is Monday the 3rd of August. The swell is still chunky, 6 ft from the ESE in the morning, but it’s a bit smaller and the wind is a cross-off from the SSW at 12 mph. Still clean, but not as perfect as Sunday. The combined energy is 730. The afternoon gets a bit messy with light rain and a cross-off, so the morning is the pick of that day.
Crowds at Taylors can be a thing sometimes, but with a quality swell like this and glassy conditions, expect some company. It’s worth it.
So, to sum it up: don’t bother with your wetsuit for the next week and a half. Mark your calendar for Sunday the 2nd of August. That’s the one.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 10°C on Sun morning, min 7°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Fri morning, min 6°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed morning, fresh winds from the SW by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | E 13 | ESE 12 | SSE 19 | SSE 19 | SSE 16 | SSE 14 | SSE 13 | SSE 11 | E 11 | E 11 | SE 12 | NE 4 | ENE 4 | NE 4 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NNW 4 | ESE 13 | ESE 14 | E 17 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
176 | 142 | 190 | 322 | 312 | 107 | 36 | 32 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 23 | 10 | 16 | 5 | 17 | 81 | 149 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:46PM2.36m | 9:16AM2.31m | 9:41PM2.29m | 10:09AM2.28m | 10:34PM2.23m | 11:00AM2.26m | 11:24PM2.18m | 11:52AM2.24m | 00:13AM2.14m | 12:42PM2.23m | 1:02AM2.11m | 1:30PM2.22m | 1:51AM2.09m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:25PM0.33m | 2:59AM0.39m | 3:20PM0.47m | 3:53AM0.47m | 4:17PM0.60m | 4:46AM0.55m | 5:15PM0.70m | 5:37AM0.63m | 6:12PM0.76m | 6:24AM0.69m | 7:05PM0.79m | 7:08AM0.73m | 7:52PM0.79m | ||||||||
7:54 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | |
— | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:21 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 |
Temp °C | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 4 |
Feels °C | 7 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 3 | -1 | 1 | -9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | SSE 19 | SSE 19 | SSE 16 | NE 4 | SSE 13 | SSE 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | NE 4 | ENE 4 | E 11 | NE 4 | NE 8 | NNW 4 | ESE 13 | S 18 | E 17 |
176 | 125 | 77 | 322 | 312 | 107 | 4 | 32 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 16 | 5 | 17 | 6 | 149 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 16 | SSE 19 | SSE 18 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | SSE 14 | NE 4 | ESE 11 | NE 5 | NE 4 | SE 12 | E 12 | E 11 | S 10 | NE 8 | NNE 4 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | S 11 | NE 6 |
86 | 142 | 133 | 49 | 49 | 46 | 36 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 32 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 21 | — | ESE 12 | — | — | — | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ENE 4 | SE 10 | SE 9 | — | S 11 | S 10 | S 12 | E 12 | SE 12 | NNE 5 | — | ESE 14 | S 16 |
17 | — | 190 | — | — | — | 25 | 24 | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | — | 81 | 183 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 5 | — | — | — | — | NNE 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 4 | — | NE 4 | NW 3 | NW 3 | W 3 | — | ENE 4 | E 5 |
71 | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | 23 | 1 | 4 | 5 | — | 21 | 22 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 22 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 22 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 90 | 36 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 162 | 213 |
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.










