Whale Watch Reef surfForecast / Kaikoura and Marlborough / New Zealand

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 am Saturday 02 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
14.0° C
(Which is 1.0°C warmer than normal for this time of year)

How big are the waves at Whale Watch Reef today?

The current surf forecast for Whale Watch Reef at 7PM is: 0.2m 5s primary swell from a East-northeast direction (forecast issued at 11:00am May 02). An open ocean swell of 0.8m 15s is not directed at the surf break, a second open ocean swell of 0.4m 3s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be glassy.

Time (NZST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (02 May)2ft (0.6m)5s
Afternoon (02 May)1.5ft (0.4m)6s
Evening (02 May)0.5ft (0.2m)5s

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 16°C on Sun afternoon, min 12°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Sat
2
Sunday
3
Monday
4
Tue
5
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
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
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)
0.6
NE
5
0.6
NE
6
0.4
NE
6
0.3
ENE
5
0.2
ENE
5
0.2
ENE
5
0.2
ENE
5
0.1
E
7
0.3
NE
2
0.5
NE
3
0.6
NE
4
0.9
NE
5
1.3
NNE
5
1.1
NNE
5
0.6
NE
5
0.4
NE
4
0.4
NE
5
0.2
NNE
5
0.2
NNE
4
0.2
ENE
9
0.2
ENE
9
0.2
ENE
9
0.6
NE
4
0.6
NE
4
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
17
19
8
6
3
3
3
1
1
5
10
42
97
64
14
7
6
2
2
8
7
7
15
16
Wind (km/h)
5
SW
5
SSE
5
SSE
0
NNW
0
NNW
0
N
10
N
5
NNE
10
NE
5
E
5
S
0
NW
5
W
5
WSW
5
WSW
0
WNW
0
NE
5
E
10
ENE
5
NE
5
N
5
NW
5
W
5
WSW
off
cross-off
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
on
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
on
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
High Tide
5:19PM1.93m
5:38AM1.83m
6:04PM1.93m
6:23AM1.81m
6:46PM1.91m
Low Tide
11:02AM0.61m
11:35PM0.64m
11:46AM0.64m
00:18AM0.66m
12:28PM0.67m
00:59AM0.68m
clear
clear
clear
cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:15
7:16
7:16
7:18
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:28
5:27
5:25
5:24
Temp °C
13
15
15
13
13
13
12
12
13
15
16
14
14
14
13
12
13
14
14
13
13
13
13
12
10
13
13
12
12
11
9
9
10
13
15
13
13
13
12
11
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
10
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.8
SSW
15
0.8
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
15
0.8
SSW
15
0.8
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
14
0.6
SSW
14
0.6
SSW
13
0.5
S
13
0.5
S
13
0.4
SSW
11
1
NE
5
0.8
NE
5
0.6
S
10
0.6
S
10
0.6
S
9
0.6
S
9
0.6
S
9
0.6
S
9
0.5
S
9
0.5
S
9
0.4
S
9
0.4
S
9
Energy kJ
296
296
370
288
280
215
213
156
139
87
85
40
57
31
71
68
61
60
59
58
41
40
25
24
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
NE
5
0.6
NE
6
0.4
NE
6
0.3
ENE
5
0.2
ENE
5
0.2
ENE
5
0.2
ENE
5
0.1
E
7
0.1
NE
7
0.1
E
8
0.2
SSW
13
0.5
S
11
0.5
S
10
0.6
NE
5
0.4
NE
4
0.4
NE
5
0.2
NNE
5
0.2
SSW
12
0.3
SSW
13
0.3
SSW
13
0.3
SSW
13
0.3
SSW
13
0.3
SSW
13
Energy kJ
17
19
8
6
3
3
3
1
2
1
18
57
51
14
7
6
2
15
33
34
34
33
32
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
S
9
0.4
SSE
10
0.3
ENE
5
0.3
NNE
5
0.2
NNE
4
0.2
NNE
4
0.1
NE
4
0.1
E
7
0.1
S
13
0.1
E
9
0.1
E
10
0.1
E
8
0.2
SSW
14
0.2
SSW
3
0.2
NNE
4
0.2
ENE
9
0.2
ENE
9
0.2
ENE
9
0.2
ENE
9
0.3
SSW
16
Energy kJ
42
30
6
5
2
2
1
1
3
1
2
1
19
1
2
8
7
7
8
52
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
SW
2
0.4
SW
3
0.4
SW
3
0.1
NE
5
0.3
NE
2
0.5
NE
3
0.6
NE
4
0.9
NE
5
1.3
NNE
5
1.1
NNE
5
0.3
SW
2
0.2
SSW
3
0.3
SW
3
0.2
NNE
4
0.4
NE
4
0.6
NE
4
0.6
NE
4
Energy kJ
1
2
2
1
1
5
10
42
97
64
1
1
1
1
4
15
16
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Distance (km)
9
15
9
9
9
9
9
9
11
9
11
0
0
0
11
11
11
63
74
11
9
11
9
9
Best forecast wave conditions in Kaikoura and Marlborough
Rating
(10 max)
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
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)
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
3
3
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
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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