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Whale Watch Reef Surf Forecast
/ Kaikoura and Marlborough (12 surf breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Whale Watch Reef surfForecast / Kaikoura and Marlborough / New Zealand
48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 am Friday 22 May 2026 NZSTForecast 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 7PM is: 1.0m 4s primary swell from a Northeast direction (forecast issued at 11:00am May 22). An open ocean swell of 0.6m 8s is not directed at the surf break, a second open ocean swell of 0.6m 13s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be cross-onshore.
| Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (22 May) | 1ft (0.3m) | 6s |
| Afternoon (22 May) | 2.5ft (0.8m) | 4s |
| Evening (22 May) | 3ft (0.9m) | 4s |
Table - waves today at Whale Watch Reef. (Swell directed towards the surf break)
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Fri night, min 10°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fri 22 | Saturday 23 | Sunday 24 | Mon 25 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 | |
Swell Height Map |    |    |    |    | ||||||||||||||||||||
NE 6 | NE 3 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NNE 4 | NE 4 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NNE 5 | ENE 6 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 11 | NE 11 | NE 10 | NE 10 | NE 10 | NE 10 | NE 11 | ENE 11 | NE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | |
6 | 6 | 17 | 34 | 31 | 16 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 22 | 21 | 31 | 29 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 33 | 48 | 228 | 73 | 72 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | off | off | off | off | glassy | glassy | on | on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | glassy | |
High Tide | 9:17AM2.05m | 9:41PM2.09m | 10:10AM2.00m | 10:39PM2.01m | 11:03AM1.95m | 11:33PM1.95m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 3:24PM0.35m | 4:02AM0.40m | 4:20PM0.39m | 4:57AM0.44m | 5:15PM0.45m | 5:52AM0.48m | ||||||||||||||||||
 |  | |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | |  | | | | | | | |
 | 7:35 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:37 |
 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | — | — | 5:05 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 11 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
8 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 4 | S 8 | SSW 9 | S 8 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 14 | SSW 15 | S 16 | S 16 | S 15 | S 14 |
 kJ | 11 | 64 | 106 | 50 | 273 | 280 | 271 | 198 | 192 | 228 | 188 | 146 | 383 | 657 | 857 | 811 | 665 | 655 | 684 | 892 | 1107 | 1241 | 1132 | 1057 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | SSW 10 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NNE 5 | NNE 4 | NE 12 | SSW 14 | NE 12 | NE 11 | NE 11 | NE 10 | NE 10 | NE 10 | NE 10 | NE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 |
| kJ | 39 | 21 | 49 | 131 | 22 | 16 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 62 | 21 | 31 | 29 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 33 | 48 | 76 | 73 | 72 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | SE 4 | SE 4 | — | S 9 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 5 | NE 12 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 11 | NE 13 | SE 11 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | NE 9 | NE 9 | — | S 20 | S 20 |
| kJ | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 22 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 14 | 14 | 21 | 20 | — | 68 | 67 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 6 | NE 3 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NNE 4 | — | SSW 3 | SSW 4 | S 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 3 | NE 3 | NE 11 | NE 4 | NE 4 |
| kJ | 6 | 6 | 17 | 34 | 31 | — | 3 | 7 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 6 | 228 | 23 | 16 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 132 | 145 | 147 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 25 | 25 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 19 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 15 | 9 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Kaikoura and Marlborough | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
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