Surf Forecast Surf Report
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Punakaiki surf break
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Punakaiki surf Forecast / West Coast South Island / New Zealand

12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 5 pm Thursday 18 Apr 2024 NZST
Forecast update in  hr  min  s Update imminent
Punakaiki surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Punakaiki sea temperature is 15.9°C (Statistics for 18 Apr 1981-2005 - mean: 15.7 °C max: 17.0 °C min: 13.7 °C)
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  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.leaflet.map_placeholder_alt">Map Placeholder Alt</span>
Punakaiki surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Punakaiki sea temperature is 15.9°C (Statistics for 18 Apr 1981-2005 - mean: 15.7 °C max: 17.0 °C min: 13.7 °C)


Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Punakaiki this week:

The surf forecast for Punakaiki over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Apr 19) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 14s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-onshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Punakaiki in the next 12 days are 1.9m 15s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Apr 25) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Apr 25) at 3PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)12AM (Fri 19th Apr)4ft (1.2m) 14s
Best Surf 6AM (Thu 25th Apr)4.5ft (1.3m) 17s
Most Powerful 9PM (Thu 25th Apr)6ft (1.9m) 15s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Punakaiki over the next 12 days.

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Updates in  hr  min  s Update imminent
Thu
18
Friday
19
Saturday
20
Sunday
21
Monday
22
Tuesday
23
Wednesday
24
Thursday
25
Friday
26
Saturday
27
Sunday
28
Monday
29
Tue
30
PMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAM
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
1.5
WSW
1.2
WSW
1.1
WSW
1.1
WSW
1.4
WSW
1.4
WSW
1.2
WSW
1.3
WSW
1
WSW
1
WSW
1
WSW
1.4
WSW
0.9
WSW
1.2
WSW
1.1
WSW
1.2
WSW
1
WSW
0.9
WSW
0.9
WSW
0.9
WSW
1.4
WSW
1.5
W
1.6
WSW
1.7
W
1
W
1.4
W
1.3
WSW
1.1
WSW
1.2
WSW
1.1
WSW
1
W
1
WSW
0.9
WSW
0.9
WSW
0.9
WSW
0.9
WSW
Period(s) (?)141413131413121213131313131313161414141416161514141313131210101314141514
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy (?)8625554444586616134695373453843677113125234447494433662693371081118911841208423694581405454250200356326371305297
Wind
(km/h)
10
SW
5
SW
5
SE
5
SW
5
SSE
5
S
15
SW
20
SW
5
SSE
10
SW
15
SW
25
SSW
10
WSW
15
NE
10
NNE
5
WNW
5
SSE
5
ESE
5
WSW
5
E
10
NE
15
NE
5
SW
5
SW
10
SSW
10
SE
5
ESE
5
W
10
ESE
10
ESE
10
SSE
20
ESE
15
ESE
10
SSE
15
ESE
10
ESE
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
oncross-
on
glassglasscrosscrosscross-
on
cross-
on
glasscross-
on
oncross-
on
oncross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
on
crossglassglassglassoffcross-
off
onglasscross-
on
cross-
off
cross-
off
glasscross-
off
cross-
off
crosscross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
High Tide
/ height (m)
7:32PM
2.15
7:50AM
2.26
8:19PM
2.26
8:34AM
2.37
8:58PM
2.37
9:11AM
2.48
9:33PM
2.49
9:47AM
2.57
10:07PM
2.58
10:21AM
2.64
10:39PM
2.64
10:55AM
2.67
11:12PM
2.67
11:29AM
2.67
11:46PM
2.66
12:04PM
2.63
12:22AM
2.62
12:42PM
2.56
1:00AM
2.55
1:24PM
2.47
1:44AM
2.46
2:13PM
2.37
2:36AM
2.38
Low Tide
/ height (m)
1:37AM
0.79
2:06PM
0.65
2:23AM
0.67
2:47PM
0.53
3:03AM
0.55
3:24PM
0.42
3:39AM
0.44
3:58PM
0.34
4:14AM
0.36
4:32PM
0.29
4:47AM
0.31
5:05PM
0.28
5:22AM
0.29
5:38PM
0.30
5:57AM
0.32
6:14PM
0.36
6:34AM
0.37
6:52PM
0.44
7:14AM
0.44
7:35PM
0.54
8:02AM
0.53
8:25PM
0.63
8:58AM
0.60
Thu
18
Friday
19
Saturday
20
Sunday
21
Monday
22
Tuesday
23
Wednesday
24
Thursday
25
Friday
26
Saturday
27
Sunday
28
Monday
29
Tue
30
Sunrise--7:09--7:11--7:13--7:13--7:15--7:16--7:16--7:18--7:18--7:20--7:20--7:22
Sunset5:57--5:54--5:53--5:52--5:51--5:49--5:47--5:46--5:45--5:44--5:42--5:40--
clearclearcloudcloudpart cloudclearclearpart cloudcloudcloudrain showersclearclearpart cloudpart cloudclearclearclearclearpart cloudpart cloudlight rainlight raincloudclearclearclearclearpart cloudpart cloudpart cloudpart cloudcloudcloudpart cloudpart cloud
Rain (mm)
----------3----------14-------------
Temp. °C141314141314141313141414141314151213131114141414141214141215171214151115
Feels °C (?)11111313111111101112111012121314111111811111413111012129131481112613

Short Range Forecast: Mostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu afternoon, min 11°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue afternoon, min 9°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 6-9 Weather Summary Light rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 10°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Long Range Forecast: Mostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Punakaiki 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 Punakaiki Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Punakaiki provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 12 days. A general guide to surfing at Punakaiki can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Punakaiki 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 (Punakaiki) 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 Punakaiki 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.

Punakaiki is 186 km (116 miles) from the city of Nelson. If you plan a holiday in West Coast South Island, look for hotels and other accommodation in Nelson. Nelson has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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