Whale Watch Reef surfForecast / Kaikoura and Marlborough / New Zealand

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 am Wednesday 27 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
12.8° 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: 0.6m 11s primary swell from a East-northeast direction (forecast issued at 11:00am May 27). An open ocean swell of 2.4m 14s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be glassy.

Time (NZST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (27 May)1.5ft (0.4m)11s
Afternoon (27 May)2ft (0.6m)11s
Evening (27 May)2ft (0.6m)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 14°C on Wed afternoon, min 10°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light.

Wed
27
Thursday
28
Friday
29
Sat
30
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
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
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)
0.4
ENE
11
0.5
NE
11
0.6
ENE
11
0.6
ENE
11
0.6
ENE
11
0.6
ENE
12
0.6
ENE
12
0.5
ENE
12
0.4
ENE
12
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.3
ENE
11
0.3
ENE
11
0.3
ENE
11
0.3
ENE
11
0.2
ENE
10
0.2
ENE
10
0.2
E
10
0.2
ENE
10
0.2
ENE
10
0.6
NE
3
0.7
NE
4
0.8
NE
4
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
48
61
82
81
85
94
94
79
53
43
42
40
23
23
22
22
10
10
8
10
10
6
13
24
Wind (km/h)
10
NE
10
NE
5
ENE
5
WNW
5
WSW
5
W
5
WSW
5
WNW
5
SSW
5
SSE
5
SE
0
SW
5
NW
5
NW
5
NNW
5
NW
5
WNW
5
E
15
ENE
10
NNE
15
NE
10
NNE
10
NNE
10
N
on
on
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
cross-off
cross
glassy
glassy
cross
glassy
glassy
glassy
cross-on
on
on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
1:43PM1.87m
2:05AM1.85m
2:34PM1.89m
2:55AM1.83m
3:22PM1.92m
3:43AM1.83m
Low Tide
7:31AM0.55m
8:04PM0.63m
8:17AM0.58m
8:56PM0.66m
9:03AM0.62m
9:44PM0.67m
clear
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:39
7:41
7:41
7:41
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:04
5:02
5:01
5:01
Temp °C
10
13
14
13
13
13
12
12
12
13
12
11
11
12
11
11
11
13
13
12
12
11
11
10
8
11
12
12
11
12
11
10
11
11
11
11
10
10
9
9
10
11
10
9
9
8
8
7
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.5
S
14
2.5
S
14
2.5
S
14
2.4
S
14
2.3
S
14
2.3
S
14
2.3
S
14
2.3
S
14
2.5
S
14
3
S
14
3
S
14
3
S
15
3
S
16
3
S
15
2.5
S
15
2.5
S
14
2.4
S
14
2.3
S
14
2.2
S
14
2.1
S
13
2
S
13
1.9
S
12
1.8
S
12
1.6
S
12
Energy kJ
3042
2785
2542
2313
2068
2009
1980
1980
2367
3119
3673
4310
4315
3529
3157
2643
2379
2127
1875
1567
1329
1109
948
726
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
ENE
11
0.5
NE
11
0.6
ENE
11
0.6
ENE
11
0.6
ENE
12
0.6
ENE
12
0.5
ENE
12
0.4
ENE
12
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.3
ENE
11
0.3
ENE
11
0.3
ENE
11
0.3
ENE
11
0.2
ENE
10
0.2
ENE
10
0.2
E
10
0.2
ENE
10
0.2
ENE
10
0.1
E
10
0.1
E
10
0.1
E
10
Energy kJ
48
61
81
85
94
94
79
53
43
42
40
23
23
22
22
10
10
8
10
10
2
2
2
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
NNE
4
0.4
NNE
5
0.4
ENE
11
Energy kJ
48
8
7
40
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
ENE
11
0.6
NE
3
0.7
NE
4
0.8
NE
4
Energy kJ
82
6
13
24
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
4
1
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
Distance (km)
25
25
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
19
0
9
9
9
9
9
9
74
19
25
15
9
9
Best forecast wave conditions in Kaikoura and Marlborough
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand
Rating
(10 max)
6
7
5
4
4
4
8
5
5
9
9
9
7
7
6
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
6
7
7
9
9
7
8
6
6
9
9
9
7
9
8
7
7
6
6
6
5
5
5
5
  • 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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