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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 pm Tuesday 19 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 4AM is: 0.9m 5s primary swell from a North-northeast direction and 0.6m 5s secondary swell from a Northeast direction (forecast issued at 11:00pm May 19). An open ocean swell of 0.3m 10s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be glassy.
| Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (20 May) | 2.5ft (0.7m) | 6s |
| Afternoon (20 May) | 2.5ft (0.8m) | 6s |
| Evening (20 May) | 3.5ft (1.0m) | 7s |
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 18°C on Thu morning, min 10°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 20 | Thursday 21 | Friday 22 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | |
Swell Height Map |  |    |    |    | ||||||||||||||||||||
ENE 10 | NNE 5 | NNE 5 | NE 5 | NE 6 | NNE 6 | NE 6 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | NE 6 | SE 5 | S 9 | NE 3 | NE 4 | NE 4 | |
20 | 37 | 42 | 21 | 30 | 21 | 47 | 88 | 91 | 65 | 69 | 108 | 83 | 269 | 108 | 166 | 30 | 18 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 46 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
glassy | cross-off | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | glassy | off | off | glassy | on | on | on | on | on | on | |
High Tide | 6:50PM2.28m | 7:23AM2.09m | 7:47PM2.25m | 8:21AM2.08m | 8:44PM2.18m | 9:17AM2.05m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 1:13AM0.34m | 1:30PM0.31m | 2:10AM0.34m | 2:27PM0.32m | 3:06AM0.36m | 3:24PM0.35m | ||||||||||||||||||
 |  | | |  | | | | | | | | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | — | — |
 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:08 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:07 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 |
10 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 6 | NNE 6 | NE 6 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | SSE 5 | SE 5 | S 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 13 |
 kJ | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 30 | 21 | 47 | 88 | 91 | 65 | 69 | 108 | 83 | 105 | 108 | 86 | 30 | 18 | 42 | 19 | 87 | 225 | 135 | 356 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | ENE 9 | S 8 | S 8 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | S 13 | S 13 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | NNE 8 | S 10 | NE 6 | SSW 5 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SSW 13 | E 11 |
| kJ | 20 | 33 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 19 | 22 | 7 | 19 | 8 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 90 | 2 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | SSE 9 | E 14 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 13 | E 13 | E 10 | E 12 | E 12 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 5 | SSW 4 | SE 4 | — |
| kJ | 11 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 17 | 7 | 4 | 4 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 4 | NNE 5 | NNE 5 | — | — | E 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 7 | — | NNE 7 | S 4 | S 5 | — | — | — | NE 3 | NE 4 | NE 4 |
| kJ | 14 | 37 | 42 | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 269 | — | 166 | 31 | 49 | — | — | — | 2 | 15 | 46 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 0 | 0 | 63 | 0 | 175 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 175 | 0 | 12 | 131 | 131 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 11 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 145 | 116 | 25 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Kaikoura and Marlborough | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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