
Surf Forecasts:
Tuhawaiki Point surf forecast from 28 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 4 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 16s period, SE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 4 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 16s period, SSE swell with 801 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 29 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 13s period with ESE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Tuhawaiki Point this week:
The surf forecast for Tuhawaiki Point over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 13s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Tuhawaiki Point in the next 16 days are 1.3m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 10s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Wed 29th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Tue 4th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tuhawaiki Point over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s talk about what’s on offer down at Tuhawaiki Point. This is a proper exposed point break that lights up when the stars align, and it’s built for advanced surfers who know what they’re doing. The water’s sitting at 49°, which is about 1° warmer than usual for this time of year, so nothing too wild, just a touch above average for a winter dip.
The forecast starts with a bit of a slow grind. Tuesday the 28th of July kicks off with a weak 3ft ESE swell, but the wind is cross-onshore at 10 km/h, so you’re looking at bumpy, rippled faces. The combined energy is only 361, not enough to get excited about. It’s the kind of day where you’re better off checking the tide and waiting.
Wednesday the 29th of July is where it starts to get interesting. The morning brings a glassy 3ft ESE swell with a clean offshore breeze from the west at 5 km/h. The energy sits at 394, and the swell period is a respectable 13 seconds groundswell, so there’s some shape and push. The afternoon goes glassy flat with a 3ft ESE swell and no wind at all. This is a standout – clean, lined-up waves at a point break that can handle that long period. It’s inconsistent though, so be patient, and the crowds are a “sometimes” thing, so you might get some company.
Thursday the 30th of July drops off a bit. The swell fades to 2ft with a 12-second period, and the wind is a light cross-off from the NNW. The energy is down to 161. It’s surfable, but ordinary. Friday the 31st of July is a write-off – 1ft swell, strong winds, and energy below 100. Don’t bother.
Saturday the 1st of August sees a bump in swell to 5ft from the SE at 11 seconds, but the wind is a moderate cross-off from the southwest at 20-25 km/h. The energy jumps to 589, but the conditions are marginal, with a chop on the face. Not the best.
Sunday the 2nd of August is the real standout of the first week. The morning is glassy, with a 3ft SE swell at 12 seconds and a light offshore from the NW. The energy is a solid 504, and the comment says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is a point break, so that long period groundswell will wrap in nicely, giving you clean, peeling lines. The afternoon gets a cross-onshore breeze, so hit the morning session.
Monday the 3rd of August is more ordinary with 2ft swell and cross-off wind. Tuesday the 4th of August morning brings a better bump: 4ft SE swell at 16 seconds, with a 10 km/h cross-off from the WNW and energy soaring to 751. That’s a very long period groundswell, and for a point break, that’s a dream. Clean, powerful, and waiting for the right surfer. The afternoon is cross-on, so again, morning is the go.
The rest of the first week and into the second week has a mix. Wednesday the 5th of August morning is clean with a 3ft SE swell at 11 seconds and a light offshore, but the afternoon turns into a 40 km/h southerly mess with a 4ft SE swell – that’s kite territory, not paddle. Thursday the 6th of August has clean mornings and a glassy afternoon with 4ft SE swell at 13 seconds and energy around 488. Good, consistent, but not a standout.
Friday the 7th of August is clean morning with 3ft SE swell, but the afternoon goes onshore. Saturday the 8th of August has a glassy afternoon with 3ft SE swell at 12 seconds and energy at 544 – that’s a sneaky good session if you’re patient.
Sunday the 9th of August morning brings a 6ft east swell at a short 7 seconds, with a clean offshore breeze. The energy is 429. That’s a bit of size for the advanced crew, but the short period means it’ll be a bit wobble and less lined up. Monday the 10th of August morning is a standout: 5ft ESE swell at 9 seconds, with a clean cross-off from the NW and energy at 622. The period is short, but the energy is strong, and the conditions are clean.
Tuesday the 11th of August drops off to 2ft swell, and from there it’s a slow fade into small, weak waves through to Wednesday the 12th of August, with energy dropping to 55. The last few days are flat and not worth paddling out for.
Overall, the best on offer is the morning of Wednesday the 29th of July and the glassy morning of Sunday the 2nd of August. Those are the ones to circle on the calendar. The morning of Tuesday the 4th of August is also a cracker for the size and period, but it’s a weekday call. The inconsistency of this spot means you’ve got to be ready to jump when the window opens. Stay safe out there.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu afternoon, min 7°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 11°C on Mon morning, min 4°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSW on Fri afternoon, calm by Sun morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | E 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 12 | SE 10 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SSE 14 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
361 | 372 | 367 | 273 | 198 | 147 | 107 | 121 | 40 | 44 | 424 | 462 | 270 | 374 | 272 | 224 | 187 | 132 | 93 | 763 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off |
High Tide | 2:32AM2.17m | 3:19PM2.10m | 3:10AM2.14m | 3:57PM2.10m | 3:52AM2.10m | 4:34PM2.08m | 4:41AM2.06m | 5:13PM2.06m | 5:32AM2.04m | 5:56PM2.02m | 6:21AM2.04m | 6:43PM1.98m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:50PM0.75m | 9:09AM0.68m | 9:31PM0.73m | 9:48AM0.68m | 10:13PM0.70m | 10:30AM0.67m | 10:55PM0.67m | 11:16AM0.64m | 11:36PM0.66m | 12:04PM0.59m | 00:18AM0.66m | 12:50PM0.56m | 1:02AM0.67m | |||||||
— | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | |
5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 12 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 7 |
Feels °C | 8 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 0 | -3 | -1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 1 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | E 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 12 | SE 10 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SSE 14 |
361 | 372 | 367 | 273 | 198 | 147 | 107 | 121 | 40 | 44 | 424 | 462 | 270 | 374 | 272 | 224 | 187 | 132 | 76 | 763 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 7 | S 15 | SSE 17 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | SE 16 | NE 4 | S 14 | ENE 5 | ENE 7 | ESE 15 | SE 16 | SE 14 | E 10 | SE 12 | S 23 | — | SSE 18 | SSE 15 | E 14 |
3 | 17 | 27 | 24 | 21 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 23 | 119 | 91 | 2 | 232 | 10 | — | 30 | 93 | 4 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | — | — | ENE 4 | NE 6 | S 16 | SE 16 | S 18 | SE 16 | ESE 16 | — | E 10 | E 10 | E 17 | S 19 | E 16 | SE 20 | S 11 | — | — |
8 | — | — | 2 | 8 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 24 | — | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 15 | 40 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 6 | — | SSW 4 | WSW 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 2 | SSW 4 | S 10 |
— | — | — | — | — | 4 | 11 | 31 | — | 22 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 1403 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 108 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 87 | 155 | 8 | 163 | 151 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 0 | 0 | 87 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Canterbury | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Tuhawaiki Point Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Tuhawaiki Point provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Tuhawaiki Point can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Tuhawaiki Point 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 (Tuhawaiki Point) 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 Tuhawaiki Point 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.
Tuhawaiki Point is 5 km (3 miles) from the city of Timaru. If you plan a holiday in Canterbury, look for hotels and other accommodation in Timaru. Timaru has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










