Whale Watch Reef surfForecast / Kaikoura and Marlborough / New Zealand

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 am Friday 08 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
13.5° 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 8PM is: 3.5m 8s primary swell from a North-northeast direction (forecast issued at 11:00am May 08). An open ocean swell of 0.3m 14s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be cross-onshore.

Time (NZST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (08 May)7.5ft (2.3m)8s
Afternoon (08 May)10ft (3.0m)8s
Evening (08 May)11ft (3.5m)8s

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


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 7°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NE on Fri afternoon, calm by Sat afternoon).

Fri
8
Saturday
9
Sunday
10
Mon
11
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
9 PM
12 AM
3 AM
6 AM
Rating
(10 max)
!
0
0
0
!
!
2
!
3
2
2
0
0
1
0
1
2
2
2
1
1
1
2
1
Swell
Height Map
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span>
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span>
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span>
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span>
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.3
NNE
8
3
NNE
8
3
NNE
8
3.5
NE
8
3.5
NNE
8
2.5
NNE
8
2
NNE
8
3
N
8
1.2
ENE
10
1.2
ENE
10
1.1
ENE
10
0.9
ENE
9
0.8
ENE
9
0.8
ENE
9
0.8
ENE
9
0.8
ENE
9
0.9
ENE
13
1
NE
13
1
NE
13
1.2
NE
13
0.9
ENE
12
0.9
ENE
12
0.9
ENE
12
0.9
ENE
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
600
897
937
1472
1462
788
464
1114
258
275
226
139
113
108
103
101
304
336
326
479
273
260
251
222
Wind (km/h)
10
N
25
NNE
25
NNE
40
NE
15
N
15
NNW
15
NNW
10
NW
15
WNW
15
S
5
ESE
10
NNE
10
N
10
WNW
10
NW
5
W
5
SSW
5
E
5
WNW
35
SSW
25
SSW
25
SW
25
WSW
20
WSW
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
on
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross-off
glassy
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
High Tide
9:21AM1.71m
9:32PM1.78m
10:06AM1.69m
10:22PM1.76m
10:52AM1.70m
11:13PM1.77m
Low Tide
3:18PM0.71m
3:55AM0.67m
4:06PM0.69m
4:45AM0.64m
4:55PM0.66m
5:34AM0.61m
rain showers
part cloud
cloud
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
cloud
cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
light rain
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:20
7:22
7:22
7:24
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:21
5:20
5:19
5:17
1
1
2
3
1
Temp °C
18
18
19
18
18
16
16
16
16
14
14
13
13
13
13
13
13
15
16
11
9
8
7
8
17
15
16
12
16
13
13
14
13
11
14
11
11
11
10
11
12
14
15
4
4
2
1
2
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
SSW
14
0.3
SSW
14
0.3
SSW
14
0.3
SSW
14
0.3
SSW
14
0.3
SSW
14
0.9
ENE
9
2
NNE
8
1.4
NNE
8
1.2
ENE
10
1.1
ENE
10
0.9
ENE
9
0.8
ENE
9
0.8
ENE
9
0.8
ENE
9
0.9
SSW
9
1.8
SSW
14
2.2
SSW
14
2.1
SSW
14
1
ENE
13
0.9
ENE
12
0.9
ENE
12
0.9
ENE
12
3.5
SSW
12
Energy kJ
40
40
40
39
38
36
132
475
245
275
226
139
113
108
103
119
1363
1868
1704
341
273
260
251
3579
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.1
S
10
0.3
SSW
13
1.4
ENE
9
1.2
ENE
10
1
NNE
7
0.8
NNE
6
0.7
NE
7
0.6
NNE
6
0.4
NNE
5
0.7
SSW
8
0.8
ENE
9
0.9
ENE
13
1
NE
13
1
NE
13
1.2
NE
13
0.9
ENE
12
Energy kJ
2
35
329
258
96
51
44
25
11
72
101
304
336
326
479
222
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
SSW
13
0.3
SSW
13
0.4
SSW
13
0.3
SSW
13
0.4
SSW
16
0.4
SSW
16
0.4
SSW
8
0.4
NE
14
0.7
SSW
15
Energy kJ
34
34
58
33
82
81
21
50
222
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.3
NNE
8
3
NNE
8
3
NNE
8
3.5
NE
8
3.5
NNE
8
2.5
NNE
8
2
NNE
8
3
N
8
0.5
WNW
4
0.6
W
4
0.2
SSW
4
2
SSW
14
3
S
13
3.5
S
12
3.5
SSW
12
4
SSW
12
Energy kJ
600
897
937
1472
1462
788
464
1114
7
12
2
1526
3004
3594
3904
4137
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
2
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
3
2
2
7
Distance (km)
9
88
165
182
381
11
11
11
0
0
0
15
9
0
9
0
0
0
0
145
19
142
0
35
Best forecast wave conditions in Kaikoura and Marlborough
Rating
(10 max)
1
2
1
2
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
4
4
4
3
2
7
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
2
2
2
4
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
4
5
9
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
7
6
6
6
7
6
7
7
6
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
9
9
  • 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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