Surf Forecasts:
Whale Watch Reef surf forecast from 22 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 13s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 23 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period, NNE swell with 300 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 13s period with ENE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Whale Watch Reef this week:
The surf forecast for Whale Watch Reef over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 4s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Whale Watch Reef in the next 16 days are 1.6m 8s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 23) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 13s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whale Watch Reef over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue morning, min 9°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Sun morning, light winds from the NE by Mon morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue afternoon, min 12°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | NNE 9 | NNE 6 | SSW 16 | ENE 13 | ENE 14 | NE 4 | S 11 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | N 11 | NE 2 | NE 5 | NNE 6 | NNE 7 | N 7 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NE 5 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 55 | 62 | 245 | 22 | 0 | 56 | 66 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 113 | 64 | 37 | 9 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross | off | glassy | cross-on |
High Tide | 00:29AM1.78m | 12:56PM1.86m | 1:17AM1.76m | 1:45PM1.85m | 2:06AM1.76m | 2:32PM1.85m | 2:52AM1.77m | 3:17PM1.87m | 3:36AM1.79m | 3:59PM1.88m | 4:18AM1.81m | 4:40PM1.91m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:32PM0.74m | 6:36AM0.72m | 7:19PM0.73m | 7:21AM0.70m | 8:03PM0.71m | 8:08AM0.67m | 8:46PM0.67m | 8:57AM0.62m | 9:30PM0.63m | 9:46AM0.57m | 10:14PM0.58m | 10:31AM0.53m | 10:58PM0.53m | |||||||
 |  |  |  |  | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | |  | |
 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — |
 | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — |
mm | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 15 |
Feels °C | 10 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | NNE 7 | NNE 9 | NNE 6 | SSW 7 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 12 | S 11 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 10 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 15 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 |
| kJ | 177 | 62 | 245 | 22 | 19 | 2019 | 1233 | 639 | 223 | 222 | 558 | 456 | 131 | 775 | 714 | 777 | 930 | 564 | 497 | 411 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 8 | S 10 | SSE 10 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ENE 13 | ENE 14 | NE 4 | SSW 15 | S 10 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | SSW 14 | NE 5 | NNE 6 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NE 5 |
| kJ | 55 | 94 | 18 | 34 | 34 | 56 | 66 | 5 | 234 | 94 | 38 | 36 | 210 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 44 | 64 | 37 | 9 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 15 | E 13 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 16 | — | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | N 11 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | ESE 15 | NNE 7 |
| kJ | 4 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 53 | — | 39 | 40 | 37 | 18 | 19 | 2 | 34 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 5 | 5 | 21 | 5 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | N 4 | NNE 4 | — | WSW 3 | W 4 | WNW 3 | — | NE 2 | NNE 5 | WNW 3 | — | N 7 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | 95 | 51 | 9 | 12 | — | 6 | 16 | 3 | — | 1 | 9 | 3 | — | 113 | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 9 | 132 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 15 | 9 | 25 | 11 | 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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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Whale Watch Reef surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
Information about the Whale Watch Reef Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Whale Watch Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Whale Watch Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Whale Watch Reef surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Whale Watch Reef) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Whale Watch Reef may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Whale Watch Reef is 101 km (63 miles) from the city of Blenheim. If you plan a holiday in Kaikoura and Marlborough, look for hotels and other accommodation in Blenheim. Blenheim has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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