Surf Forecasts:
Taylors Mistake surf forecast from 24 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 25 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 14s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 31 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 15s period, SSE swell with 422 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 25 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 14s period with ESE 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 Tuesday (Aug 25) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 16s. Another secondary swell of 0.2m and 14s is also forecast. Another secondary swell of 0.7m and 4s is also forecast. 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 1.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) 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 4.0m 13s period and expected on Monday (Aug 31) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 1ft (0.3m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 1ft (0.3m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Mon 31st Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Taylors Mistake over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, grab a coffee, ‘cause I’ve been staring at the charts for Taylors Mistake and, well, it’s a tough one to write up. I’m not gonna sugarcoat it: the next couple of weeks are looking pretty bleak for a decent paddle. There’s a lot of small, weak, and messy stuff on the cards, and honestly, a lot of it isn’t worth getting wet for.
We’re starting off with nothing but dribble. For the first few days, we’re looking at ankle-biters around 0.7 ft. There’s some energy in the water on the 27th, but it’s a short-period, wind-blown mess with a strong cross-onshore breeze. That’s a write-off. The 28th has a bit more size, but it’s still junky and onshore. The first real sign of life comes late on Saturday the 29th. The wind drops to glassy and we get a clean 1 ft with a 13-second period, but it’s just too small to get excited about. It’s surfable, but you’d be scratching for anything.
The start of September isn't much better. The 1st gives us a clean 2 ft to 2 ft with a 10-second period on a light cross-offshore, and that’s about as good as it’s going to get for a while. After that, it’s back to small and junky.
The one thing that gets the heart rate going is that Friday afternoon on the 4th. A 5 ft southeast swell shows up with a 10-second period and a big jump in energy (503). The problem? The wind is blowing straight onshore. It’s going to be a messy, white-capped mess. With that size and wind, this isn’t a paddle-surfing day; that’s more of a kite-surfing set-up. We get a little more size on the 5th, but again, it’s onshore and junky.
The 6th morning cleans up again with a small 2 ft on a cross-offshore breeze, but it’s still pretty ordinary. After that, we’re back to tiny dribble. There’s a hint of something on the 8th, but with a north-northeast wind and a period of 4-5 seconds, it’s not going to have any shape.
Honestly, the first solid, clean, and rideable swell is nowhere in this forecast. We're looking at a long stretch of small, messy, and blown-out conditions. It’s the kind of run that tests your patience. But that’s the way it goes sometimes. It won’t stay flat forever. The swell window is open, and these forecasts can flip on a dime. Keep an eye on it, but don’t hold your breath just yet.
Stay salty.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Wed night. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue morning, min 7°C on Wed night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 7°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NE on Thu afternoon, calm by Fri night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 14 | ESE 14 | E 14 | E 14 | SSE 17 | E 13 | SSE 17 | SSE 18 | SSE 17 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | SE 13 | ESE 12 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | SSE 16 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 18 | 40 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 14 | 28 | 102 | 116 | 127 | 142 | 116 | 120 | 30 | 17 | 42 | 14 | 14 | 5 | 27 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross-on |
High Tide | 2:01AM2.04m | 2:27PM2.16m | 2:47AM2.06m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:56PM0.77m | 8:01AM0.72m | 8:39PM0.73m | 8:50AM0.66m | 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 | |||||||
 |  | | | | |  |  |  | |  | | | | |  |  | | | | |
 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — |
 | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 4 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 15 | 10 |
Feels °C | 13 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 14 | SSE 16 | E 14 | E 14 | N 4 | ESE 3 | SSE 17 | ESE 6 | SSE 17 | SSE 16 | SSE 12 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | SSE 10 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | NNW 3 |
| kJ | 18 | 26 | 15 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 28 | 29 | 116 | 51 | 30 | 116 | 120 | 30 | 17 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 5 | 2 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | E 14 | S 16 | S 18 | SSE 17 | E 13 | E 13 | SSE 18 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | SE 12 | E 12 | NE 4 |
| kJ | 16 | 16 | 20 | 24 | 30 | 14 | 14 | 102 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | ESE 14 | S 9 | S 9 | E 14 | — | — | E 13 | — | — | — | E 16 | E 15 | NNE 8 | ESE 13 | SE 13 | SE 9 | SE 9 | S 8 | SSE 16 |
| kJ | 6 | 40 | 2 | 2 | 15 | — | — | 13 | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | 6 | 17 | 42 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 27 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 3 | N 4 | N 4 | NNW 4 | — | E 3 | NNE 4 | SE 5 | E 4 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | N 4 | N 3 | S 4 | — | ENE 6 | ENE 3 | — | NNE 3 | NW 4 |
| kJ | 1 | 14 | 24 | 24 | — | 5 | 16 | 74 | 30 | 127 | 142 | 12 | 5 | 4 | — | 16 | 1 | — | 1 | 17 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 4 | 0 | 31 | 36 | 31 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 175 | 264 | 63 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 22 | 31 | 22 | 9 |
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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