Surf Forecasts:
Tuhawaiki Point surf forecast from 4 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 11 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 10s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 11 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 10s period, SSE swell with 136 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 14s period with SE 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 Saturday (Sep 05) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 8s. 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 0.4m 19s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 11) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.1m 8s period and expected on Friday (Sep 11) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Sat 5th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Fri 11th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Fri 11th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tuhawaiki Point over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's cast an eye over the next couple of weeks for Tuhawaiki Point. It's a bit of a slow burn, to be honest. We're looking at a long stretch of tiny, messy conditions before things finally start to show some promise. That first real window of opportunity doesn't arrive for a good while.
The waiting game starts now. From Friday the 4th all the way through to the start of the second week, it's mostly a bust. We're talking day after day of swell heights barely scraping 2ft, often with periods under 8 seconds, meaning weak, crumbly waves. The wind is a mixed bag, but nothing that truly lines up. The combined energy of all swells directed here is mostly a weak two-digit number, rarely breaking 100. It's a tough stretch.
Finally, on the morning of Sunday the 13th of September, we get a glimmer. The forecast shows a light offshore breeze from the west, with a southeast swell of 2ft. The period is stretching out to 16 seconds, which is a very long-period groundswell. This is a classic setup for a point break like Tuhawaiki. The energy is moderate (257) and the conditions are clean. It's not going to be big, but with that period and offshore wind, it could be remarkably fun. The water temp is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting around 51°.
But the real standout, the one to circle on the calendar, is Wednesday the 16th of September. The swell is forecast to pump up to 6ft from the south-southeast, with a long 16-second period. The combined energy jumps to a very strong 1832. The wind is a light cross-shore, making for a gentle cross-chop. This is a significant swell, over 5ft, so it's not for beginners, but for the experienced crew, this is the best on offer. It's a big, powerful groundswell hitting a point, so the potential for long, clean walls is high. The wind conditions aren't perfect, but the sheer size and energy will make it a memorable session.
All in all, it's a quiet start, but there's a real payoff waiting for those who are patient. The first week is a write-off, but that second week builds up to a solid Wednesday.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Sun morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat afternoon, min 6°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the W on Fri afternoon, calm by Sun night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Thu morning. Very mild (max 12°C on Wed afternoon, min 5°C on Thu morning). Winds increasing (calm on Tue morning, fresh winds from the S by Wed night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 7 | SSE 8 | SSE 14 | SSE 16 | SE 17 | SSE 17 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 14 | E 5 | E 5 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 7 | SSE 15 | ESE 7 | SE 18 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 9 | 13 | 20 | 25 | 70 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 20 | 22 | 15 | 46 | 68 | 88 | 67 | 57 | 37 | 23 | 10 | 87 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 9:07PM2.03m | 9:44AM2.30m | 10:11PM2.14m | 10:39AM2.36m | 11:12PM2.28m | 11:33AM2.40m | 00:08AM2.39m | 12:29PM2.43m | 1:00AM2.46m | 1:30PM2.44m | 1:51AM2.47m | 2:32PM2.43m | 2:42AM2.44m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:16AM0.77m | 3:57PM0.72m | 4:19AM0.79m | 5:00PM0.68m | 5:19AM0.76m | 5:55PM0.60m | 6:16AM0.68m | 6:45PM0.53m | 7:11AM0.58m | 7:34PM0.51m | 8:05AM0.48m | 8:24PM0.51m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | |  | |  |  |  |  | | |  | | | | |  | | |
 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — |
 | 6:09 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 8 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 2 | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 10 | 14 | 16 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
Feels °C | 5 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 17 | SSE 17 | E 4 | SSE 16 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 7 | SSE 5 | ESE 7 | SSE 7 |
| kJ | 9 | 13 | 16 | 9 | 70 | 27 | 2 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 46 | 68 | 88 | 67 | 57 | 37 | 15 | 10 | 45 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 14 | SSE 16 | S 6 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 14 | SE 11 | — | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | S 19 | S 18 | SE 11 | ESE 7 | SSE 4 | SE 18 |
| kJ | 3 | 10 | 20 | 25 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 20 | 5 | — | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 16 | 1 | 87 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 15 | SE 15 | SE 9 | — | SE 9 | — | SSE 16 | E 10 | S 12 | S 15 | — | — | — | — | S 19 | S 18 | S 17 | SSE 15 | E 3 | ESE 7 |
| kJ | 9 | 8 | 3 | — | 3 | — | 26 | 2 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 6 | 6 | 23 | 1 | 5 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 4 | — | — | WNW 3 | — | — | E 4 | E 4 | E 4 | E 5 | E 5 | — | — | — | — | ENE 4 | — | — | N 3 | SSW 7 |
| kJ | 21 | — | — | 3 | — | — | 7 | 12 | 17 | 22 | 15 | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | 1 | 303 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 311 | 87 | 137 | 156 | 0 | 139 | 191 | 139 | 137 | 137 | 137 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 137 | 87 | 201 | 157 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Canterbury | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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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