Whale Watch Reef surfForecast / Kaikoura and Marlborough / New Zealand

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 pm Sunday 24 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
12.9° 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 3AM is: 0.6m 10s primary swell from a East-northeast direction and 0.7m 4s secondary swell from a Northeast direction (forecast issued at 11:00pm May 24). An open ocean swell of 1.6m 15s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be cross-onshore.

Time (NZST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (25 May)2ft (0.6m)10s
Afternoon (25 May)2ft (0.6m)10s
Evening (25 May)2ft (0.6m)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 15°C on Tue morning, min 10°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Monday
25
Tuesday
26
Wednesday
27
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
9 AM
12 PM
3 PM
6 PM
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
NE
9
0.6
ENE
11
0.6
ENE
10
0.6
ENE
10
0.6
ENE
10
0.6
ENE
10
0.6
ENE
10
0.6
ENE
10
0.6
ENE
10
0.5
ENE
10
0.5
ENE
10
0.5
ENE
10
0.5
ENE
10
0.5
ENE
10
0.5
ENE
10
0.5
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
11
0.8
S
15
0.4
ENE
12
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.6
ENE
11
0.6
ENE
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
64
79
73
72
71
72
71
69
68
57
56
56
56
56
57
63
44
0
52
49
48
49
82
81
Wind (km/h)
15
NNE
15
NNE
10
NNE
5
NNW
5
SW
5
S
5
S
5
NNW
5
NW
5
W
5
SW
10
SW
5
W
10
S
10
S
10
SSE
10
SSE
5
SSE
5
ESE
5
ENE
5
NNE
10
NE
10
NE
5
NNE
on
on
cross-on
glassy
off
cross-off
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
off
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
glassy
glassy
on
on
on
glassy
High Tide
11:33PM1.95m
11:56AM1.90m
00:25AM1.90m
12:50PM1.87m
1:16AM1.87m
1:43PM1.87m
Low Tide
5:52AM0.48m
6:10PM0.52m
6:43AM0.51m
7:07PM0.59m
7:31AM0.55m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:37
7:39
7:39
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:05
5:04
5:04
Temp °C
10
10
11
11
11
12
13
12
13
13
12
12
13
15
12
11
10
10
10
10
10
12
13
13
7
7
9
9
9
10
12
11
11
11
10
10
11
12
10
9
8
9
9
9
8
10
11
12
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.5
S
15
1.5
S
15
1.6
S
15
1.6
S
14
1.6
S
14
1.7
S
14
1.6
S
13
1.6
S
13
1.6
S
13
1.5
S
12
1.5
S
12
1.4
S
12
1.4
S
12
1.4
S
12
1.3
S
12
1.4
S
12
1.1
S
11
1
S
11
1.9
S
15
2.5
S
15
3
S
14
2.5
S
14
2.5
S
14
2.4
S
14
Energy kJ
1065
1010
1087
1042
1014
1063
888
865
839
692
657
563
556
538
472
538
307
244
1618
2881
3269
3042
2785
2313
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
ENE
11
0.6
ENE
11
0.6
ENE
10
0.6
ENE
10
0.6
ENE
10
0.6
ENE
10
0.6
ENE
10
0.6
ENE
10
0.6
ENE
10
0.5
ENE
10
0.5
ENE
10
0.5
ENE
10
0.5
ENE
10
0.5
ENE
10
0.5
ENE
10
0.5
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
11
0.8
S
15
0.4
ENE
12
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.6
ENE
11
0.6
ENE
11
Energy kJ
48
79
73
72
71
72
71
69
68
57
56
56
56
56
57
63
44
287
52
49
48
49
82
81
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
NE
9
0.5
NE
4
0.4
NE
4
0.4
NE
4
0.4
NE
4
0.5
NE
5
0.4
NNE
5
0.4
NE
5
0.2
NNE
5
0.2
NNE
4
0.6
S
10
0.4
ENE
12
Energy kJ
20
7
4
6
7
12
11
7
2
2
80
52
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
NE
9
0.7
NE
4
0.7
NE
4
0.6
NE
4
0.6
NNE
4
0.6
NNE
4
0.4
SW
2
0.4
SSW
3
0.4
SW
3
0.3
S
3
0.5
S
4
0.6
S
5
Energy kJ
64
13
15
9
10
11
1
4
2
2
8
17
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
4
4
4
1
Distance (km)
25
15
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
9
0
0
25
25
25
0
Best forecast wave conditions in Kaikoura and Marlborough
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
4
4
4
4
4
4
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
3
3
4
4
4
4
5
6
6
6
6
6
7
7
7
9
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
5
5
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
5
6
9
9
9
6
7
7
7
9
  • 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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