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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 5 am Sunday 17 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
13.2° 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 11AM is: 0.4m 11s primary swell from a East-northeast direction (forecast issued at 05:00am May 17). An open ocean swell of 1.0m 10s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be onshore.
| Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (17 May) | 1.5ft (0.4m) | 11s |
| Afternoon (17 May) | 1.5ft (0.4m) | 10s |
| Evening (17 May) | 1.5ft (0.4m) | 10s |
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 12°C on Tue afternoon, min 8°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 17 | Monday 18 | Tuesday 19 | Wed 20 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 | |
Swell Height Map |    |    |    |    | ||||||||||||||||||||
ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | NNE 4 | |
39 | 39 | 38 | 37 | 36 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 8 | 11 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 35 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | |
High Tide | 4:24AM2.07m | 4:53PM2.22m | 5:23AM2.09m | 5:52PM2.27m | 6:23AM2.10m | 6:50PM2.28m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 10:37AM0.37m | 11:14PM0.38m | 11:35AM0.34m | 00:14AM0.35m | 12:33PM0.32m | |||||||||||||||||||
 | |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 7:30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | — | — | — | 7:33 |
 | — | — | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:08 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
6 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 8 | NE 4 |
 kJ | 247 | 196 | 194 | 190 | 186 | 136 | 132 | 106 | 103 | 99 | 72 | 55 | 58 | 94 | 94 | 88 | 61 | 59 | 57 | 39 | 36 | 33 | 22 | 20 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | SSE 10 |
| kJ | 39 | 39 | 38 | 37 | 36 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 33 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 16 | S 16 | ENE 9 | ENE 11 | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | ENE 10 |
| kJ | 25 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 83 | 81 | 42 | 40 | 19 | 34 | 33 | 25 | 14 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 11 | 19 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 2 | — | — | — | NE 2 | ENE 3 | NE 3 | ENE 3 | ENE 3 | ENE 4 | NE 3 | NE 3 | NE 3 | NE 3 | NE 4 | NNE 4 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 35 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 15 | 15 | 9 | 19 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 19 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 25 | 9 | 15 | 11 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Kaikoura and Marlborough | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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