
Surf Forecasts:
Taylors Mistake surf forecast from 11 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 13 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 16s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 12 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period, SSE swell with 291 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 13 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 16s period with SSE 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 (Sep 13) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 3s. 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 0.8m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 12) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 4.0m 15s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 12) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Taylors Mistake over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what Taylors Mistake has on offer over the coming weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta tell ya, this is a pretty quiet outlook. There's nothing pumping for the first week or so. The water temp is sitting at 51°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.
The only window that really gets a nod is the first Saturday, the 12th of September. We've got a 2ft swell coming from the SSE with a very long 16-second period. That's proper groundswell energy, and it’s showing moderate wave energy (211) – not huge but there's some push behind it. The wind is a cross-off, so it'll be clean. But honestly, it’s just surfable, nothing to write home about. The afternoon tries to pick up to 3ft, but wind goes onshore and the state of the tide or something is questionable, so I'd stick to the morning.
Sunday the 13th has a morning window with a tiny 1ft swell and a cross-off breeze, but it's clean. After that, we hit a massive dry spell. From Sunday afternoon all the way through to the morning of Monday the 22nd of September, it’s just poor conditions or tiny waves. There's a long stretch of 0.6ft to 1ft waves with onshore or cross-shore winds, many days described as glassy but with no swell to speak of. A few days look clean but the combined swell energy is super low, in the double digits – just weak, weak energy.
Now, there is a little pulse of size that pops up on Tuesday the 22nd. The morning shows 4ft from the NE, with moderate energy (174). However, the wind is a light cross-onshore, and the period is a snappy 6 seconds – that’s short-period windswell, which won't hold any shape and will get chopped up. The afternoon after that gets a fresh 19 mph cross-off wind, but the swell drops to 2ft. That period of size is right in the middle of a big run of poor conditions, so it's not a good call.
Best on offer? Honestly, there’s no standout here. If I had to point you to the least bad window, it's the morning of Saturday the 12th. It's small, but clean with that long-period energy. For the rest of this 16-day run, you’re better off sleeping in or doing a beach cleanup. It’s a long, flat run with a few tiny bumps that never really get going.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Mon morning, min 6°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Thu morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Wed morning, min 4°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 13 | SSE 13 | SE 9 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | E 11 | NE 5 | N 3 | N 3 | SE 4 | SE 5 | E 14 | ESE 14 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | NNE 5 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
193 | 291 | 102 | 34 | 63 | 19 | 30 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 26 | 53 | 49 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | on | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-on | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 5:07PM2.36m | 5:37AM2.32m | 6:00PM2.33m | 6:33AM2.32m | 6:53PM2.28m | 7:26AM2.33m | 7:46PM2.23m | 8:15AM2.32m | 8:38PM2.18m | 9:01AM2.28m | 9:27PM2.14m | 9:45AM2.23m | 10:14PM2.10m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:58AM0.30m | 11:26PM0.36m | 11:50AM0.36m | 00:17AM0.40m | 12:41PM0.45m | 1:05AM0.46m | 1:32PM0.55m | 1:52AM0.55m | 2:23PM0.64m | 2:39AM0.65m | 3:13PM0.71m | 3:27AM0.73m | 4:02PM0.76m | ||||||||
6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | |
— | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:17 | — | — | 6:19 | — | — | 6:20 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 8 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 10 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 |
Feels °C | 7 | 5 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 13 | SSE 16 | SE 9 | SE 11 | SE 10 | NE 3 | NE 4 | SE 8 | NE 5 | ENE 5 | E 12 | NE 8 | ENE 6 | ESE 5 | ESE 14 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | NE 5 |
193 | 291 | 102 | 34 | 25 | 19 | 30 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 19 | 26 | 53 | 27 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 13 | ENE 13 | NE 3 | SSE 17 | E 12 | SSE 12 | S 16 | E 12 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | E 11 | SE 8 | E 13 | E 10 | ENE 5 | E 14 | E 14 | ESE 4 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 |
18 | 17 | 2 | 29 | 3 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 16 | 17 | 33 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ENE 13 | — | — | S 18 | E 12 | S 16 | E 12 | E 11 | SE 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 14 | E 11 | NE 6 | E 7 | SE 4 | NE 12 | SSE 17 |
— | — | 17 | — | — | 6 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 27 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NNW 3 | SSW 12 | SSE 13 | — | — | — | NE 3 | — | NE 2 | NNW 3 | N 3 | N 3 | SE 4 | SE 5 | — | — | — | NE 3 | NNE 5 |
— | — | 2 | 1593 | 63 | — | — | — | 3 | — | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 13 | — | — | — | 2 | 49 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 232 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 31 | 22 | 31 | 22 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 35 | 328 | 260 | 64 | 64 | 22 | 31 | 32 | 13 |
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.










