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Wavetraps surf break

Wavetraps surfForecast / West Coast South Island / New Zealand

information circle12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 5 pm Sunday 17 Aug 2025 NZST
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Wavetraps surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Wavetraps sea temperature is
12.3° C
 (Which is normal for this time of year)

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Wavetraps this week:

The surf forecast for Wavetraps over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 17) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Wavetraps in the next 12 days are 4.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 18) 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 0.3m 2s period and expected on Friday (Aug 22) at 3AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Sun 17th Aug)5.5ft (1.7m) 14s
Best Surf 6AM (Mon 18th Aug)5.5ft (1.7m) 15s
Most Powerful 9PM (Mon 18th Aug)13ft (4.0m) 11s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Wavetraps over the next 12 days.

Hourly12 Days
West Coast South Island Surf
Print Surf Table
Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent 

Short Range Forecast Heavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 11°C on Sun afternoon, min 3°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Mon afternoon, calm by Wed morning).

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Mostly dry. Very mild (max 12°C on Fri afternoon, min 7°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Sun
17
Monday
18
Tuesday
19
Wednesday
20
Thursday
21
Friday
22
Saturday
23
PMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAM
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
3
0
4
4
3
3
2
3
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
1
2
2
Swell
Height Map
See all maps
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
1.8
WSW
1.7
W
1.6
W
1.5
W
3.5
W
2.5
W
2.5
W
2
W
1.6
WSW
1.4
WSW
1.3
WSW
1.1
WSW
1
WSW
1
WSW
1
WSW
1.1
WSW
1.2
WSW
1.3
WSW
1.3
WSW
1.3
WSW
1.1
WSW
Period(s) (?)161414141112131212121416161616161514131313
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy (?)1730128611399393095180724311205779674730612520527548629675714627627623
Wind
(km/h)
10
WSW
5
ESE
10
ENE
5
N
25
W
10
SE
10
SE
10
ESE
10
ESE
15
SW
15
ESE
10
ESE
5
WNW
10
ESE
10
E
5
WNW
5
ESE
5
E
10
WSW
5
ESE
5
E
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
crosscross-
off		cross-
off		cross-
on		cross-
on		offoffoffcross-
off		crossoffcross-
off		cross-
on		cross-
off		cross-
off		oncross-
off		cross-
off		crossoffcross-
off
High Tide
/ height (m)
5:05PM
2.82
5:49AM
2.83
6:26PM
2.81
7:06AM
2.84
7:43PM
2.89
8:16AM
2.92
8:46PM
3.03
9:15AM
3.04
9:38PM
3.17
10:03AM
3.14
10:22PM
3.28
10:45AM
3.21
11:01PM
3.32
11:22AM
3.23
Low Tide
/ height (m)
11:26PM
1.18
12:04PM
1.25
12:48AM
1.19
1:25PM
1.23
2:01AM
1.09
2:33PM
1.11
3:01AM
0.95
3:27PM
0.96
3:51AM
0.82
4:13PM
0.82
4:34AM
0.71
4:53PM
0.72
5:13AM
0.65
Sun
17
Monday
18
Tuesday
19
Wednesday
20
Thursday
21
Friday
22
Saturday
23
Sunrise--7:22--7:22--7:20--7:18--7:16--7:16--7:13
Sunset5:53--5:54--5:55--5:57--5:58--5:59--6:00--
part cloudpart cloudlight rainmod rainheavy rainpart cloudpart cloudclearclearclearclearclearclearclearclearcloudpart cloudpart cloudpart cloudcloudpart cloud
Rain (mm)
--1613----------------
Temp. °C1181010910114101181011911121011111012
Feels °C (?)8678366-1774886910898810
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder

Eyeball surf reportRecent Eyeball Surf Reports for West Coast South Island

  1. weather stationWind Update Continuing clean conditions at Wavetraps (light winds from the W at HokitikaAeroAws 35 km from Wavetraps). 2.0m 15s groundswell from the W with a 0.8m 8s swell from the N. 2 swells combining to make bigger set waves.

    2 hours 28 minutes ago Wavetraps
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35 km away, 2 h 28 min ago

9 km/h
W
0.0
12.3
Air / Water (°C)
Please reload the page to see if there are any updates.

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Wavetraps 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.

View detailed surf forecast for Wavetraps at:
surf-forecast.com

Information about the Wavetraps Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Wavetraps provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 12 days. A general guide to surfing at Wavetraps can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Wavetraps 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 (Wavetraps) 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 Wavetraps 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.

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