Surf Forecasts:
Inner Cut surf forecast from 26 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 31 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 8s period, NNW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 30 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 8s period, N swell with 577 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 29 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 5s period with N swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Inner Cut this week:
The surf forecast for Inner Cut over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 5s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 5s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Inner Cut in the next 16 days are 2.2m 8s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) 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 0.6m 16s period and expected on Friday (Jul 31) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Wed 29th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 5s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Fri 31st Jul) | 6ft (1.9m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Thu 30th Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Inner Cut over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the stretch ahead.
We’re looking at a pretty quiet picture for the next 16 days with only one real moment that’s got my heart beating a little faster. The rest is a long stretch of flat, small, or just poor conditions. The first surf recommendation isn’t until Friday the 31st of July, so we’ve got a gap of about five days with nothing worth paddling out for.
The only standout in this whole outlook is Inner Cut (The-Cut-Nelson-Harbour) on the morning of Friday the 31st of July. That morning, we’ll see a 7ft swell out of the NNW, with a period of 8 seconds. That’s a solid, punchy size—definitely in the intermediate zone, and maybe a bit much for beginners. The wind is forecast to be glassy calm, which is a beautiful thing. It’ll be clean as a whistle. The combined energy of all swells directed here is strong (758). The swell direction is NNW, which is a bit off from the optimum NW direction, but it’s still good. Crowds are possible here, so expect some company.
But here’s the thing—this spot is inconsistent. It doesn’t break often, so when it’s on, you really want to be there. The water temperature is about 53°F, which is roughly 1°F cooler than average for this time of year, so you’ll want a good thick wetsuit.
The afternoon of the 31st of July has a 4ft swell, but it’s a bit smaller and the wind stays glassy. Still, the morning is the real deal.
After that, from Saturday the 1st of August right through to Monday the 10th of August, it’s mostly flat, tiny waves, or poor surf conditions. A few mornings have glassy winds but hardly any swell. Not worth your time.
So, to sum it up: if you’re free on the morning of Friday the 31st of July, hit Inner Cut. It’s a rare chance for a good session. Everything else is a write-off.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 10°C on Tue morning, min 4°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Thu night. Very mild (max 13°C on Thu night, min 6°C on Wed morning). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 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) | NNW 14 | NNW 14 | NNW 7 | NNW 13 | NNW 7 | N 7 | N 11 | N 7 | N 6 | NW 16 | NNW 4 | N 5 | NNE 6 | N 6 | N 8 | NNW 8 | N 8 | N 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 13 | N 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 21 | 20 | 5 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 29 | 46 | 75 | 382 | 534 | 161 | 89 | 20 | 18 | 1 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:03PM3.44m | 8:10AM3.28m | 8:49PM3.63m | 8:57AM3.44m | 9:27PM3.79m | 9:38AM3.60m | 10:02PM3.92m | 10:16AM3.74m | 10:36PM4.04m | 10:54AM3.84m | 11:09PM4.12m | 11:31AM3.88m | 11:43PM4.17m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:19PM1.56m | 2:04AM1.48m | 2:17PM1.44m | 2:46AM1.33m | 3:08PM1.25m | 3:22AM1.19m | 3:51PM1.04m | 3:56AM1.05m | 4:27PM0.84m | 4:30AM0.92m | 5:00PM0.70m | 5:04AM0.80m | 5:31PM0.63m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | |  |  |  | | | |
 | 7:41 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — |
 | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 13 | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 8 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 3 |
Feels °C | 6 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | -1 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | N 6 | — | NW 15 | N 5 | NNE 6 | — | N 8 | N 8 | NNW 16 | N 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | E 4 |
| kJ | 15 | 13 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 8 | 29 | 46 | — | 382 | 224 | 162 | 74 | 19 | 5 | 1 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 3 | ENE 4 | NW 14 | NNW 13 | N 12 | NW 12 | N 11 | — | NW 11 | NW 11 | — | NW 14 | NW 18 | — | — | NW 18 | — | NNW 15 | NNW 14 | NNW 13 | N 7 |
| kJ | 2 | 1 | 8 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 2 | — | 5 | 5 | — | 8 | 12 | — | — | 12 | — | 89 | 20 | 18 | 1 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 14 | NNW 14 | NW 10 | — | NW 12 | — | — | — | — | NW 16 | — | — | NW 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 6 | NW 12 |
| kJ | 21 | 20 | 4 | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 6 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SSW 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 4 | — | — | N 6 | N 20 | NNW 8 | N 8 | SE 3 | SW 4 | — | S 3 |
| kJ | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | 75 | 7 | 534 | 161 | 4 | 9 | — | 2 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 97 | 68 | 68 | 101 | 68 | 68 | 68 | 68 | 2 | 118 | 118 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 28 | 97 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Nelson - Tasman Bay | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Inner Cut surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
Information about the Inner Cut Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Inner Cut provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Inner Cut can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Inner Cut 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 (Inner Cut) 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 Inner Cut 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 Nelson - Tasman Bay? If you are looking for accommodation near Inner Cut, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Nelson - Tasman Bay, consider staying in Nelson which is 2 km (1 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in Blenheim which is 64 km (40 miles) away
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