Tuhawaiki Point Surf Break

Lat Long: 44.45° S 171.26° E

Tuhawaiki Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 pm 28 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Tuhawaiki Point sea temperature is
9.5° C
0.6° 

Tuhawaiki Point surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


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 TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 3AM (Wed 29th Jul)3.5ft (1.0m) 13s
Best Surf12PM (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 Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu afternoon, min 7°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly 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
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
2
2
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
1
2
3
0
2
1
0
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1
ESE
13
1
ESE
13
1
ESE
13
0.9
ESE
13
0.8
ESE
12
0.7
ESE
12
0.6
ESE
12
0.7
E
11
0.4
ESE
11
0.4
ESE
12
1.4
SE
10
1.4
SE
11
1.1
SE
10
1.1
SE
12
1
SE
12
0.9
SE
12
0.8
SE
12
0.7
SE
12
0.6
SE
11
1.4
SSE
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
361
372
367
273
198
147
107
121
40
44
424
462
270
374
272
224
187
132
93
763
Wind (km/h)
10
NE
10
N
5
W
5
ENE
10
NW
15
N
10
NNW
15
N
20
SW
45
SSW
25
WSW
25
SW
20
SW
15
W
5
NW
15
NE
10
NNW
15
NNW
20
S
10
W
Wind State
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
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:54
7:52
7:52
7:50
7:48
7:48
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
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
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  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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