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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 am Wednesday 20 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 8PM is: 1.4m 7s primary swell from a North-northeast direction and 1.0m 7s secondary swell from a Northeast direction (forecast issued at 11:00am May 20). An open ocean swell of 0.2m 8s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be cross-offshore.
| Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (20 May) | 2ft (0.6m) | 5s |
| 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 ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu afternoon, min 10°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed 20 | Thursday 21 | Friday 22 | Sat 23 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 | |
Swell Height Map |    |    |    |    | ||||||||||||||||||||
NE 5 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NNE 7 | NE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | NNE 5 | SSW 5 | NE 6 | NE 3 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | ENE 5 | NE 5 | |
22 | 32 | 46 | 180 | 88 | 76 | 81 | 86 | 83 | 105 | 403 | 302 | 71 | 22 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 41 | 32 | 34 | 14 | 10 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
glassy | glassy | glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | off | off | glassy | on | on | on | on | cross-on | off | off | off | |
High Tide | 7:23AM2.09m | 7:47PM2.25m | 8:21AM2.08m | 8:44PM2.18m | 9:17AM2.05m | 9:41PM2.09m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 1:30PM0.31m | 2:10AM0.34m | 2:27PM0.32m | 3:06AM0.36m | 3:24PM0.35m | 4:02AM0.40m | ||||||||||||||||||
 | | |  | | | | | | |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 7:33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:35 |
 | — | — | 5:08 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | — | — | 5:06 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 11 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 |
9 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 5 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | S 5 | S 5 | SSW 5 | S 8 | SSW 8 | SSW 9 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 |
 kJ | 22 | 32 | 46 | 63 | 88 | 76 | 81 | 86 | 83 | 105 | 160 | 155 | 71 | 22 | 54 | 43 | 23 | 57 | 94 | 79 | 170 | 263 | 206 | 186 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | S 8 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | S 13 | S 13 | S 10 | S 11 | S 11 | E 12 | S 10 | NNE 6 | S 10 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SSW 12 | S 8 | NE 4 | ENE 5 | NE 5 |
| kJ | 16 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 20 | 21 | 3 | 18 | 6 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 60 | 32 | 21 | 14 | 10 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 13 | E 13 | E 10 | E 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | S 18 | S 16 | S 10 | NNE 5 | S 9 | S 16 | S 14 | SE 4 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 |
| kJ | 17 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 3 | 16 | 5 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NNE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | SSW 4 | SSW 5 | — | — | — | NE 6 | NE 3 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | — | SW 3 |
| kJ | — | — | — | 180 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 403 | 302 | 17 | 61 | — | — | — | 10 | 10 | 41 | 32 | 34 | — | 2 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 11 | 175 | 0 | 12 | 131 | 131 | 0 | 11 | 114 | 61 | 11 | 11 | 74 | 132 | 74 | 25 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 9 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Kaikoura and Marlborough | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
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