Whale Watch Reef surfForecast / Kaikoura and Marlborough / New Zealand

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 5 am Tuesday 19 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
13.1° 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 10AM is: 0.3m 11s primary swell from a East-northeast direction and 0.5m 4s secondary swell from a East direction, 0.6m 4s secondary swell from a East-northeast direction (forecast issued at 05:00am May 19). An open ocean swell of 0.5m 9s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be glassy.

Time (NZST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (19 May)2ft (0.6m)4s
Afternoon (19 May)1ft (0.3m)10s
Evening (19 May)1ft (0.3m)10s

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 19°C on Thu afternoon, min 10°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
19
Wednesday
20
Thursday
21
Fri
22
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
9 PM
12 AM
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
ENE
9
0.7
ENE
4
0.6
ENE
4
0.3
ENE
10
0.3
ENE
10
0.3
ENE
10
0.3
ENE
10
1
NNE
5
0.9
NNE
5
0.7
NE
5
0.6
NNE
6
0.6
NNE
6
0.7
NE
6
0.9
NNE
7
0.9
NNE
7
0.9
NE
7
0.9
NNE
7
0.9
NNE
7
0.9
NNE
7
0.9
NNE
7
0.9
NNE
7
0.8
NNE
7
0.7
NE
6
0.7
NNE
6
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
17
15
11
22
21
20
20
46
45
28
21
22
42
83
83
69
90
79
79
75
81
68
33
28
Wind (km/h)
5
NW
5
WSW
5
WNW
5
S
5
E
5
N
5
W
5
WNW
5
WSW
5
WNW
5
NNE
5
S
0
ESE
5
NNW
10
NW
10
WNW
10
NW
10
NNW
10
NNW
10
NNE
0
NNE
10
NNW
25
SSW
15
SSW
glassy
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
glassy
glassy
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
glassy
glassy
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
off
cross-off
High Tide
6:23AM2.10m
6:50PM2.28m
7:23AM2.09m
7:47PM2.25m
8:21AM2.08m
8:44PM2.18m
Low Tide
00:14AM0.35m
12:33PM0.32m
1:13AM0.34m
1:30PM0.31m
2:10AM0.34m
2:27PM0.32m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:31
7:33
7:33
7:35
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:09
5:08
5:07
5:07
Temp °C
10
10
10
11
12
11
11
11
11
11
12
14
15
14
14
13
13
13
14
17
19
18
14
11
8
8
8
9
11
10
9
9
8
8
9
12
14
11
10
8
9
10
11
14
17
15
9
8
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
S
9
0.6
S
9
0.6
S
9
0.5
S
9
0.5
S
8
0.4
SSE
8
0.4
SSE
8
0.7
NE
5
0.7
NE
5
0.7
NE
5
0.6
NNE
6
0.6
NNE
6
0.7
NE
6
0.9
NNE
7
0.9
NNE
7
0.9
NE
7
0.9
NNE
7
0.9
NNE
7
0.9
NNE
7
0.9
NNE
7
0.9
NNE
7
0.8
NNE
7
0.7
NE
6
0.7
NNE
6
Energy kJ
61
59
57
39
36
22
22
22
24
28
21
22
42
83
83
69
90
79
79
75
81
68
33
28
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
ENE
9
0.5
E
4
0.5
E
4
0.5
E
4
0.4
ENE
4
0.3
ENE
10
0.3
ENE
10
0.4
SSE
10
0.3
SSE
10
0.3
SSE
9
0.3
SSE
9
0.3
E
4
0.2
ENE
9
0.2
ENE
9
0.2
ENE
10
0.2
ENE
10
0.2
ENE
10
0.2
ENE
10
0.2
S
13
0.2
S
10
0.3
S
10
0.3
S
11
0.3
S
11
0.1
E
9
Energy kJ
17
9
9
9
7
20
20
33
19
17
16
4
8
8
9
9
9
9
13
8
19
21
21
2
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.1
S
16
0.2
ENE
9
0.2
ENE
11
0.3
ENE
10
0.3
ENE
10
0.2
SSE
11
0.2
SSE
11
0.3
ENE
10
0.3
ENE
10
0.3
ENE
10
0.3
E
5
0.3
SSE
9
0.2
SSE
9
0.2
SSE
8
0.2
S
8
0.1
SE
13
0.1
SE
13
0.1
S
13
0.2
ENE
10
0.1
E
10
0.1
E
10
0.1
E
9
0.1
E
9
0.1
S
16
Energy kJ
5
8
11
22
21
12
11
19
19
18
4
16
7
7
6
7
7
3
9
2
2
2
2
5
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
E
4
0.7
ENE
4
0.6
ENE
4
0.6
NE
4
0.5
NE
4
0.4
ENE
4
0.6
NE
4
1
NNE
5
0.9
NNE
5
0.9
SSW
4
Energy kJ
8
15
11
14
8
7
15
46
45
25
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
Distance (km)
9
9
9
0
11
11
9
0
0
0
160
175
0
12
12
0
0
131
131
131
0
131
131
131
Best forecast wave conditions in Kaikoura and Marlborough
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
2
2
3
1
2
2
4
4
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
4
5
5
5
4
5
5
4
5
5
4
4
5
5
4
  • 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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