Surf Forecasts:
Taylors Mistake surf forecast from 13 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 17 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 16s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 17 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, E swell with 597 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 15 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 4s period with NNE 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 Wednesday (Jul 15) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 4s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 12s. 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 1.1m 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 17) 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 3.5m 14s period and expected on Friday (Jul 17) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Wed 15th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 4s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Fri 17th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Fri 17th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Taylors Mistake over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s going on at Taylors Mistake for the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, it’s a tough stretch. For the first ten days or so, the surf is tiny and weak – hardly worth getting wet for. There’s a long dry spell with nothing worth paddling out for. The water temp is about 50°F, which is pretty average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.
The first real glimpse of something decent shows up on Saturday, July 18th. Saturday morning, we’ve got a clean 4ft swell from the east with a 15-second period – that’s proper groundswell. The wind is light offshore from the WSW, so the waves should be clean. The combined energy is moderate (530). It’s not huge, but it’s the best of a pretty average bunch. Taylors is a beginner-friendly spot, and this swell is under 5ft, so it’s fine for all levels. Sunday morning the 19th is also worth a look, with a clean 2ft easterly swell and light offshore wind, but it’s nothing special.
After that, it’s back to tiny, weak, and onshore junk until we get to the 28th of July. Tuesday the 28th picks up again with a clean 5ft easterly swell in the morning, 11-second period, light offshore breeze from the WSW. Combined energy is moderate (492). That’s a solid little wave, but still well under 8ft, so it’s fine for intermediate surfers. The afternoon of the 28th stays clean with 4ft. This is the second little window of hope.
Other than that, it’s a whole lot of nothing. Monday the 27th has some size but the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, so it’s messy. The rest of the outlook is just poor surf conditions with tiny swell and bad wind. For a spot that’s fairly exposed, it’s a real quiet spell. If you’re desperate, the mornings of the 18th and 28th are your best bets. Otherwise, keep the board in the shed.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue night, min 7°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 10°C on Fri afternoon, min 5°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 8 | ENE 6 | ENE 8 | NE 7 | NNE 4 | E 13 | E 16 | E 16 | E 16 | E 16 | E 16 | E 16 | E 15 | E 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 | E 13 | E 12 | SSE 19 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 40 | 8 | 22 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 46 | 83 | 258 | 334 | 520 | 596 | 530 | 417 | 261 | 181 | 123 | 75 | 69 | 48 | 46 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | glassy | off | off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-on | glassy | glassy | glassy |
High Tide | 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 | 8:46PM2.36m | 9:16AM2.31m | 9:41PM2.29m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 2:25PM0.33m | 2:59AM0.39m | 3:20PM0.47m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 7:58 | — | — | 7:56 | — | — | 7:56 | — | — | 7:56 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — |
 | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 9 |
Feels °C | 11 | 9 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | ENE 6 | ENE 8 | NE 7 | E 12 | NE 4 | E 16 | E 16 | E 16 | E 16 | E 16 | E 16 | E 15 | E 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 | E 13 | E 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 |
| kJ | 40 | 8 | 22 | 14 | 11 | 5 | 46 | 83 | 258 | 334 | 520 | 596 | 530 | 417 | 261 | 181 | 123 | 75 | 50 | 48 | 46 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 9 | E 10 | E 13 | N 3 | S 19 | N 3 | E 13 | NNE 7 | S 16 | SSE 14 | SE 15 | ESE 7 | S 22 | S 22 | SE 10 | SE 16 | SE 8 | SSE 19 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SSE 8 |
| kJ | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 115 | 57 | 9 | 10 | 923 | 36 | 69 | 18 | 71 | 12 | 11 | 6 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | E 15 | E 10 | E 12 | NE 7 | E 13 | ENE 7 | SSE 4 | S 15 | — | S 15 | S 14 | S 22 | S 23 | SSE 21 | SE 21 | S 16 | SE 9 | SSE 19 | SSE 19 | SSE 17 |
| kJ | 5 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 9 | 14 | 5 | 1 | 106 | — | 153 | 65 | 85 | 491 | 86 | 17 | 20 | 12 | 69 | 34 | 29 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 4 | NNW 3 | N 3 | — | NNE 4 | — | N 3 | — | SSW 14 | — | — | N 3 | — | SSE 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 14 | 12 | 5 | — | 16 | — | 3 | — | 1032 | — | — | 5 | — | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 36 | 260 | 31 | 22 | 4 | 22 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 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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