- Home
- Spots
- New Zealand
- St Clair
St Clair surf forecast
St Clair is Dunedin's home beach, a south-facing stretch of sand that picks up swell from east round to south-west. On good days a right can peel off the rocky point by the saltwater pool, and it can get hollow.
St Clair hour by hour
This table runs our forecast for St Clair Beach, hour by hour. It shows swell size, swell direction, wind and tide, so you can pick the best window of the day.
Updated 20:58next run 01:40Open-Meteo wave and wind models
06:00–10:00 · glassy
Today 3 Nov
Worth it 06-10, clean chest-shoulder, glassy.
Best window: 06:00–10:00
Tide and daylight
- Low
- 04:07
- High
- 10:23
- Low
- 16:42
- High
- 22:53
- Sunrise
- 06:12
- Sunset
- 20:31
Every hour, 05–21
Tomorrow 4 Nov
Worth it 12-16, fair head-high, cross-offshore NE.
Best window: 12:00–16:00
Tide and daylight
- Low
- 05:07
- High
- 11:23
- Low
- 17:39
- High
- 23:51
- Sunrise
- 06:11
- Sunset
- 20:31
Every hour, 05–21
Thursday 5 Nov
Go 06-10, clean chest-shoulder, glassy.
Kiwi's best shot: 06:00–10:00
Tide and daylight
- Low
- 06:01
- High
- 12:16
- Low
- 18:30
- Sunrise
- 06:09
- Sunset
- 20:33
Every 3 hours
Friday 6 Nov
Marginal 18-21: short weak swell, waist-chest, offshore NW.
Best window: 18:00–21:00
Tide and daylight
- High
- 00:41
- Low
- 06:54
- High
- 13:02
- Low
- 19:21
- Sunrise
- 06:08
- Sunset
- 20:34
Every 3 hours
Forecast point: St Clair (-45.914, 170.490). Waves = estimated breaking height at the beach. Data: Open-Meteo wave and weather models (CC BY 4.0). Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information. Surf at your own risk.
Watch the wind arrow first. St Clair faces south, so a north-west wind blows offshore and grooms the waves. Winds from around the south-east blow straight onshore here.
The breaks at St Clair
St Clair sits at the western end of Ocean Beach, the long beach along Dunedin's southern shore. The main surf is the sandy beach break, plus the right off the rocky point by the pool. Other options lie around the headland and further east along the sand.
St Clair Beach
Beach breakAll levelsThe main beach is sand, with a sea wall and esplanade behind it. Peaks break both left and right. It is rated good for all levels.
The beach is a popular surfing venue and regularly hosts national and South Island championships. Sources: en.wikipedia.org · surfseeker.nz · surf-forecast.com
The point by the saltwater pool
Right-handerExperiencedAt the western end, a right can form off the rocky point next to the St Clair hot saltwater pool. It can turn hollow and give good barrels.
There are rocks near the point, so save it for days when you feel confident. Sources: surfseeker.nz · en.wikipedia.org
Second Beach
Rocky shoreHarder accessSecond Beach lies around the promontory at the south-west end of St Clair Beach. It is rocky, not sandy, and sits under a ring of cliffs.
Surfers use it too, but getting to the water is harder than at the main beach. Seals and sea lions often visit. Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Middle Beach (Moana Rua)
Beach breakNearby optionMiddle Beach is a beach break about 1 km from St Clair. Old wooden posts were often seen as the line between the two beaches, but the last of them had washed away by 2021. Sources: surf-forecast.com · en.wikipedia.org
St Kilda Beach
Beach breakNearby optionSt Kilda is another beach break about 2 km away. A path over the dunes runs from the eastern end of the St Clair esplanade towards it. Sources: surf-forecast.com · en.wikipedia.org
What St Clair needs to fire
These are the exact rules behind Kiwi's rating for this spot. Every hour of the forecast is scored on all four, then turned into a rating of 1 to 5 stars.
Swell
South swells light it up
St Clair faces south and takes swell from east round to south-west. A true south swell lines it up best.
Wind
North-west is offshore
A north-west wind blows offshore at St Clair. Last December the wind was offshore about 74% of the time.
Tide
Mid tide is the sweet spot
Our forecast favours mid tide at St Clair Beach. Other guides say it can work through the whole tide, so check the banks on the day.
Size
One to two metres ideal
St Clair is at its best with waves of 1 to 2 m. Under 0.5 m it is usually too small, and over 3 m it gets too big for most people.
Shortcut: a south swell of 1–2 m, a north-west breeze and a mid tide is the classic St Clair day.
The best months to surf St Clair
We replayed Kiwi's rating on every day of the last year and counted how often St Clair's best window reached 4 or 5 stars.
Nov–FebMost surfable days, warmest water
November has the highest share of surfable days, about 67%, and December follows at about 58%. From December to February the water is at its warmest, around 14.1 to 14.6°C, and waves tend to be smaller. Expect a busier lineup on good summer days.
Mar–MayAutumn quality
March and May each have about 35% good days, the strongest share of the year after October. Another guide also rates autumn, and May in particular, as the best season here.
Jun–AugBigger, colder, patchier
Winter brings the biggest average swell, around 2.2 to 2.4 m. Good days drop off, though, with only about 3% in August, and the water falls to about 10.7°C.
Sep–OctSpring comeback
Good days climb back to about 30% in September and 36% in October. The water stays cold, about 10.8 to 11.8°C, so keep the winter suit handy.
Before you go
Hazards and lifesavers
Watch for rips, cold water and rocks near the point. Sharks are also listed as a hazard here.
St Clair Surf Life Saving Club is based at the beach and has looked after visitors since 1911. It is the largest of the six clubs in Otago. Sources: surf-forecast.com · en.wikipedia.org
Getting there
St Clair is about five kilometres from central Dunedin, roughly a five-minute drive on sealed roads. Follow the signs south to the main beaches.
Dunedin Airport is the nearest airport, about 23 km away in a straight line. Sources: en.wikipedia.org · surfseeker.nz · surf-forecast.com
Parking and access
You can park at the beach on Forbury Street or Beach Road. There is no walk in, and surf club facilities are on site.
A walkway and a one-way street run along the esplanade behind the sea wall. Sources: surfseeker.nz · en.wikipedia.org
Crowds and etiquette
St Clair is a popular local spot and can get busy on good summer days. Crowds are listed as one of the hazards here. Sources: surfseeker.nz · surf-forecast.com
Water temperature and wetsuit
Summer water, from December to February, sits around 14.1 to 14.6°C.
From June to September the sea sits around 10.7 to 11.9°C. At around 12°C a winter steamer and neoprene boots are advised, with a hood and gloves if you have not been surfing for a while. Sources: surf-forecast.com
St Clair surf cams
There is a St Clair webcam provided by Dunedin City Council. Another live view looks over the promenade and beach from the Hydro Surf shop. Sources: surf.co.nz · worldcam.eu
A changing beach
Series of storms from the south often erode the beach and dunes. Sand has been added to the dunes more than once to repair the damage. Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Where the numbers come from
The method
Kiwi takes Open-Meteo's wave and wind models (ECMWF WAM, Météo-France, NOAA GFS and Open-Meteo's best-match blend) at a point about 5 km off St Clair. There is no buoy correction here yet: these are the models as they come.
Each hour is scored on the four rules above (swell, wind, tide, size). The stars are calibrated on a full year of data for New Zealand, so 4 stars at St Clair is a genuinely good day by that country's standard.
What we can say
The season chart and the stars use the same rules, replayed on the archive: a month marked good was good by these rules, not by a surf report.
Without a buoy nearby, the size at the beach is our model's estimate, not a measurement.
St Clair surf questions
Is St Clair good for beginners?
Yes, the sandy main beach is rated good for all levels. Beginners should stay away from the rocky point, and keep an eye out for rips.
When is the best time to surf St Clair?
November and December have the most surfable days, and October, March and May have the highest share of good days. Autumn, and May in particular, is also named as a top season.
How cold is the water at St Clair in December?
The sea is about 14°C in December.
Is there a St Clair surf cam?
Yes, Dunedin City Council provides a St Clair webcam. A second cam shows the promenade and beach from the Hydro Surf shop.
What conditions make St Clair work?
Look for a south swell of 1–2 m with a north-west offshore wind. Mid tide is our pick, though other guides say it works on all tides.
Where do I park to surf St Clair?
There is parking at the beach on Forbury Street or Beach Road.
Check St Clair before you paddle out
Open the hourly table, find a north-west wind with a south swell, and Kiwi will see you in the lineup.