The Glen Surf Forecast and Surf Reports

(Nelson – Tasman Bay, New Zealand)

Forecast
- Hourly Forecast
- 16 Day Forecast
Maps
Live
Weather State
Spot Information

The Glen Surf Guide

The Glen in Nelson - Tasman Bay is an exposed beach break that does not work very often with no particular seasonal pattern. Works best in offshore winds from the southeast and there is no shelter here from cross shore breezes. Most of the surf here comes from groundswells and the ideal swell direction is from the northwest. Waves at the beach are mainly rights. Best around mid tide. Crowds are never a problem here. Beware of - Urchins - Rocks.

The Glen Spot Info

Type:	Rating:	Reliability:	Todays Sea Temp*:
Beach	3	inconsistent	16.5°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite

Surfing The Glen:

The best conditions reported for surf at The Glen occur when a Northwest swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the Southeast.

Hourly Forecast

16 Day Forecast

What's the best time of year to surf The Glen (for consistent clean waves)?

augustBest Season: winter

The best time of year for surfing The Glen with consistent clean waves (rideable swell with light / offshore winds) is during Winter and most often the month of August. Clean surfable waves are typically found 23% of the time in August while 39% of the time it tends to be blown out. For the remaining 38% of the time it is considered too small by most surfers but may still be OK for beginners and groms at times.

clean

23%

Surfable waves that hold up well for longer rides in prevailing cross-offshore, offshore or light wind conditions.

blown out

39%

Surfable sized waves that are of poorer quality due to prevailing onshore, cross-onshore or windy conditions (may be preferable for kitesurfing).

too small

38%

Waves usually considered too small for good surf. Some wave-magnet breaks may still work though if conditions are right (on occasion).

Explore The Glen Location Map

Interactive The Glen surf break location map. View information about nearby surf breaks, their wave consistency and rating compared to other spots in the region. Current swell conditions from local buoys are shown along with live wind speed and direction from nearby weather stations. Click icons on the map for more detail. The closest passenger airport to The Glen is Nelson Airport (NSN) in New Zealand, 18 km (11 miles) away (directly). The second nearest airport to The Glen is Woodbourne Airport (BHE), also in New Zealand, 56 km (35 miles) away.

Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)

Please note that some surf spot locations are approximate to protect their exact location while others are not shown at close zoom level.

The Glen Surf Forecasts:

Hourly Forecast

16 Day Forecast

Todays Surf Summary
Wednesday, 6 May 2026, 14:49 Local Time

m, °C	Wednesday 06			Thu
ft, °F	3PM	6PM	9PM	0AM
Wave (m)	N	N	NNW	N
Period (s)	5	5	6	6
Wind (km/h)
Wind State	cross- on	cross- on	glass	glass

What does The Glen look like?

Latest photos from The Glen. Upload your own or view all photos on the gallery page.

Credit: Rob Davies Credit: Rdog Credit: Rdog Credit: Rdog Credit: Rob Davies

Tides at The Glen

Current tide and informaton

For Cable Bay, 4 km from The Glen.

Next High Water: 12:44am | 2.95m

Next Low Water: 06:31pm | 0.56m

NEXT	IS AT (local time)	remaining
high tide
low tide

The Glen Sea Temperature

The water temperature (16.5 °C) at The Glen is quite cool. If the sun shines as we have forecast, it should feel warm enough to surf in a good spring wetsuit. Effective windchill factor of (15.0 °C) will make the air and water feel about the same temperature.

Today, many surfers would wear a spring wetsuit.

Current Temp*: 16.5°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite