Whale Watch Reef surfForecast / Kaikoura and Marlborough / New Zealand

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 pm Friday 15 May 2026 NZST
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Whale Watch Reef surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Whale Watch Reef sea temperature is
13.2° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)

How big are the waves at Whale Watch Reef today?

The current surf forecast for Whale Watch Reef at 5AM is: 0.4m 10s primary swell from a East-northeast direction (forecast issued at 11:00pm May 15). An open ocean swell of 1.5m 12s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be cross-offshore.

Time (NZST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (16 May)1.5ft (0.4m)11s
Afternoon (16 May)1.5ft (0.4m)11s
Evening (16 May)1.5ft (0.4m)11s

Table - waves today at Whale Watch Reef. (Swell directed towards the surf break)


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 12°C on Mon afternoon, min 8°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
16
Sunday
17
Monday
18
9 PM
12 AM
3 AM
6 AM
9 AM
12 PM
3 PM
6 PM
9 PM
12 AM
3 AM
6 AM
9 AM
12 PM
3 PM
6 PM
9 PM
12 AM
3 AM
6 AM
9 AM
12 PM
3 PM
6 PM
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
ENE
10
0.3
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.3
ENE
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
18
20
35
36
39
42
42
41
40
40
39
39
38
37
36
35
34
34
33
33
33
32
31
18
Wind (km/h)
10
SSW
10
SSW
5
SSW
5
SSW
5
SSW
5
SSE
10
SE
5
ESE
5
NE
5
NNE
5
N
10
N
10
N
10
NE
15
ENE
15
NE
10
NE
10
NNE
10
NNE
10
NNE
10
NNE
15
ENE
15
NE
10
NE
off
off
off
glassy
glassy
cross-off
cross
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
on
on
on
on
cross-on
on
on
on
on
High Tide
3:27AM2.04m
3:55PM2.15m
4:24AM2.07m
4:53PM2.22m
5:23AM2.09m
5:52PM2.27m
Low Tide
9:20PM0.46m
9:40AM0.40m
10:17PM0.42m
10:37AM0.37m
11:14PM0.38m
11:35AM0.34m
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:28
7:30
7:31
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:12
5:10
5:10
Temp °C
9
8
8
8
8
9
10
9
8
8
8
8
9
10
11
9
9
9
8
8
9
11
12
11
7
6
6
7
7
7
8
7
6
6
6
5
6
7
8
6
6
6
5
5
6
7
9
9
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
S
13
1.6
S
12
1.5
S
12
1.5
S
12
1.4
S
11
1.3
S
11
1.2
S
11
1.2
S
11
1.2
S
11
1.1
S
10
1.1
S
10
1
S
10
1
S
10
1
S
10
1
S
10
0.9
S
9
0.9
S
9
0.8
SSE
9
0.8
SSE
9
0.8
SSE
9
0.7
SSE
8
0.7
S
8
0.6
S
9
0.7
S
10
Energy kJ
826
750
628
596
476
403
344
329
317
257
247
196
194
190
186
136
127
106
103
99
73
69
55
92
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
ENE
10
0.3
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.3
ENE
10
Energy kJ
18
20
35
36
39
42
42
41
40
40
39
39
38
37
36
35
34
34
33
33
33
32
31
18
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.2
ENE
11
0.1
S
22
0.1
S
21
0.1
S
20
0.1
S
19
0.1
S
20
0.2
S
18
0.2
S
18
0.4
SSW
16
0.4
SSW
16
0.4
SSW
16
0.4
SSW
16
0.4
SSW
16
0.4
SSW
16
0.3
SSW
15
0.3
SSW
14
0.3
SSW
14
0.3
SSW
13
0.3
SSW
13
0.3
SSW
11
0.2
SSW
12
Energy kJ
12
9
9
8
7
7
24
25
82
83
84
85
83
80
42
40
38
33
33
25
14
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
NE
3
0.7
NE
4
0.6
NE
4
Energy kJ
2
12
11
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
2
2
2
1
2
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Distance (km)
11
11
9
9
9
0
35
11
0
9
9
9
9
25
25
25
25
15
15
15
25
25
104
19
Best forecast wave conditions in Kaikoura and Marlborough
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand
Rating
(10 max)
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
5
5
6
5
5
5
5
5
4
6
6
5
5
4
5
5
5
9
9
7
4
4
5
8
  • 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

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