TidePlanet

Today in Lyttelton there are high tides at 7:31 am (8.4 ft) and 7:57 pm (7.8 ft) and low tides at 1:11 am and 1:48 pm. Tide coefficient 82. Right now the tide is falling toward the low tide at 1:48 pm. The sun rises at 6:16 am and sets at 8:11 pm: 13 h 54 min of daylight. The moon is 89% illuminated (waning gibbous). Major solunar periods run from 2:24 am to 4:24 am and from 2:56 pm to 4:56 pm. The next spring tides arrive from October 27 to 29. The sea is smooth, with 1.0 ft waves. There's a light air from the east-southeast (2 mph). Light drizzle, 55 °F.

Fishing

Fishing in Lyttelton today

Fishing forecast, 7 days →

Best time to fish

Solunar activity today: high
7
Good day · 7 out of 10 6:30–8:10 am Also 7:30–8:40 pm and 12:50–1:30 pm
  • High tide at 7:31 am, coefficient 82
  • Minor period 7:08–8:08 am (moonset)
  • Sunrise at 6:16 am
  • Falling pressure (−0.29 inHg in 24 h), light offshore wind (8 mph) and calm sea (1.3 ft waves)
  • Waning gibbous: a bit more activity than at the quarters
  • Highest tide coefficient today: 82 (average tides)

Your day at a glance

The best window, 6:30 am to 8:10 am, combines the 7:31 am high tide, moonset, sunrise and falling pressure. Also good from 7:30 pm to 8:40 pm, with the 7:57 pm high tide, sunset and a light onshore breeze. Also good from 12:50 pm to 1:30 pm, with the 1:48 pm low tide, falling pressure and a light onshore breeze.

Species with the most records nearby: tope shark, Chinook salmon and yellowtail amberjack. What you can catch

How it works · Next 7 days · Fishing rules

Beach

Beach day in Lyttelton

Beach forecast, 7 days →

Is it a beach day?

0
Not a beach day · 0 out of 10 No good beach time today.
  • Sun and clouds
  • Onshore breeze (10 mph)
  • Calm for swimming: 1.3 ft waves
  • UV 5 (moderate): SPF 30 sunscreen
  • Low tide at 1:48 pm: more sand
  • Feels like 53 °F: chilly for the beach

Thunderstorms during beach hours: get out of the water and off the sand as soon as you hear thunder.

Today, hour by hour

  • Swimming Calm · 1.3 ft

    1.3 ft waves: calm for swimming. Low rip current risk. Always follow the lifeguard's flags.

  • Water 59 °F

    Cold: ease in slowly.

  • Sun & sunscreen UV 5 · SPF 30

    Max UV 5 (moderate): SPF 30 sunscreen, reapplied every 2 hours.

  • Wind 10 mph

    Onshore breeze (10 mph).

  • Tide & sand 1:48 pm

    Low tide at 1:11 am and 1:48 pm: that's when there's the most sand. High tide at 7:31 am and 7:57 pm.

We don't have data on jellyfish, sargassum or beach closures: ask the lifeguard or check with the local beach authority. How it works · The next 7 days

Beaches near Lyttelton

Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors

Named beaches within 6.2 mi, nearest first. Amenities from OpenStreetMap: some may be missing or out of date. View on OpenStreetMap · Add or fix on OpenStreetMap

Beaches and amenities: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Tides

Tides in Lyttelton

Tides for 7 days →

Today's high and low tides

  • ▼ Low tide 1:11 am 1.4 ft
  • ▲ High tide 7:31 am 8.4 ft · coef. 82
  • ▲ High tide 7:57 pm 7.8 ft · coef. 82

↓ Falling The tide is falling. 3 h 53 min to low tide at 1:48 pm.

Tide coefficient 82 for the 7:31 am high tide and 82 for the 7:57 pm high tide. Average coefficient. The water rises and falls 7.0 ft between the highest high and the lowest low: an average range for this place. 70 is an average tide here; 90 and above means spring tides; below 45, neap tides. What is the tide coefficient?

2026 extremes: the highest tide of the year is on June 17 (8.9 ft) and the lowest, on December 27 (0.9 ft).

Semidiurnal: two high and two low tides a day, of similar height.

Heights above chart datum (CD), the zero of that port's nautical charts. Astronomical prediction: wind and air pressure can raise or lower the water by a few inches, and more in a storm. Not for navigation. chart datum (CD)

Tide coefficient and range in October

The biggest tides of the month came from October 27 to 31 (coefficient 82, 7.0 ft range). The smallest, from October 17 to 20 (coefficient 52, 4.5 ft).

Tide and solunar table · this week

Day Sun Tide 1Tide 2Tide 3Tide 4 Coef. Moon Major periods Activity
Today, Thu 29 6:16 am · 8:11 pm Low tide 1:11 am · 1.4 ft High tide 7:31 am · 8.4 ft Low tide 1:48 pm · 1.4 ft High tide 7:57 pm · 7.8 ft Coef. 82 89% Major periods 2:24 am · 2:56 pm High
Fri 30 6:15 am · 8:12 pm Low tide 2:06 am · 1.4 ft High tide 8:27 am · 8.4 ft Low tide 2:44 pm · 1.4 ft High tide 8:55 pm · 7.8 ft Coef. 82 81% Major periods 3:28 am · 4:00 pm Medium
Sat 31 6:13 am · 8:13 pm Low tide 3:03 am · 1.4 ft High tide 9:23 am · 8.4 ft Low tide 3:42 pm · 1.5 ft High tide 9:54 pm · 7.7 ft Coef. 81 71% Major periods 4:32 am · 5:03 pm Medium
Sun 1 6:12 am · 8:14 pm Low tide 4:01 am · 1.5 ft High tide 10:21 am · 8.3 ft Low tide 4:41 pm · 1.5 ft High tide 10:52 pm · 7.7 ft Coef. 79 60% Major periods 5:33 am · 6:02 pm Medium
Mon 2 6:10 am · 8:16 pm Low tide 5:00 am · 1.6 ft High tide 11:19 am · 8.2 ft Low tide 5:40 pm · 1.5 ft High tide 11:50 pm · 7.7 ft Coef. 78 Last quarter Major periods 6:29 am · 6:56 pm Medium
Tue 3 6:09 am · 8:17 pm Low tide 5:59 am · 1.7 ft High tide 12:18 pm · 8.0 ft Low tide 6:37 pm · 1.6 ft — Coef. 76 38% Major periods 7:21 am · 7:45 pm Medium
Wed 4 6:08 am · 8:18 pm High tide 12:48 am · 7.7 ft Low tide 6:59 am · 1.8 ft High tide 1:16 pm · 7.9 ft Low tide 7:32 pm · 1.6 ft Coef. 76 28% Major periods 8:09 am · 8:32 pm Medium

▲ high tide · ▼ low tide · heights above chart datum (CD). Major periods: start time; they last 2 hours. Activity: based on the moon phase and the solunar periods.

Where this tide comes from

A · Official station

Tides from the Lyttelton station (LINZ), 0.2 mi from Lyttelton. Times and heights are its predictions.

Station data attribution: Slackwater database (https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database). This work is based on Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand data which are licensed by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Licensed CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Modified: see https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database#modifications-to-source-data

How we calculate the tide

Sea and waves

The sea at Lyttelton

7-day waves

Sea stateSea state: smooth

Smooth Douglas 2 · gentle breeze, Beaufort 3
Waves 1.0 ft · 4.4 s from the north-northeast (24°)
Swell 0.7 ft · 2.9 s from the north
Current 0.2 mph toward the NW

The waves you may find

  • Most commonMost common0.5 ft
  • Significant1.0 ft
  • Highest expectedHighest2.2 ft

One wave in seven is higher than the significant height, and about 3 times a day one reaches 2.2 ft. Before heading out, expect waves of up to 2.2 ft.

Wind on the coast and offshore

On the coast 2 mph ESE · gusts 15
Offshore (7.3 mi NNE)Offshore 10 mph ESE · gusts 21

Cross-onshore wind. The coast faces northeast and the wind comes in from the sea at an angle: a bit more surf at the shore and drift along the coast, toward land.

Cross-onshore Hourly wind →

Wave height, next 7 daysWaves, next 7 days

Waves build over the next few days. The biggest waves arrive on Monday 2: 3.3 ft with a period of 5 s, from the north (slight).

Water temperature

Water temperature →
Water now59.2 °F
Today 59.0–59.4 °F air: 44 / 55 °F
Satellite (2 days ago) 58.3 °F measured 1.2 mi away

Water temperature changes how fish behave: in very cold or very warm water they feed less. The water is steady these days, with no sudden changes.

Water warmer than normal for late October (+4.0 °F).

Satellite: NASA MUR (JPL MUR MEaSUREs, PO.DAAC), doi:10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04. Sources and licenses

Water temperature →

Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 9:55 am (local time).

Diving

Diving in Lyttelton today

Diving and snorkeling, 7 days →

Diving and snorkeling today

Likely visibility: good
10
Great day · 10 out of 10 12:40–1:30 pm Also 6:40–8:10 am and 7:00–8:10 pm
  • Slack water around low tide (1:48 pm): little current from 1:20 pm to 2:10 pm
  • 0.9 ft swell at 3 s from the southeast: barely any surge
  • Light onshore wind (6 mph)
  • 0.1 mph current toward the west, weak (model)
  • Sun high: more light underwater
Swell 0.9 ft 3 s · from the SE
Likely visibility Good Snorkeling: good
Water and suit 59.0 °F 7 mm wetsuit
Current 0.1 mph toward the W
  • Slack water today: low tide 1:11 am (12:40–1:30 am), high tide 7:31 am (7:00–7:50 am), low tide 1:48 pm (1:20–2:10 pm) and high tide 7:57 pm (7:30–8:20 pm)
  • Likely visibility: good. The sea has been calm and there's been little rain. Based on the last 24 hours of data.
  • Water at 59.0 °F: a 7 mm wetsuit, with hood and booties.
  • Snorkeling: good, calm sea and light wind.
  • Night dive: dark from 8:41 pm. Waning gibbous (89%): a bright night.

Your diving day at a glance

The best window, 12:40 pm to 1:30 pm, combines slack water at low tide, little swell, light wind, weak current and the sun high. Also good from 6:40 am to 8:10 am, with slack water at high tide, little swell, light wind and weak current. Also good from 7:00 pm to 8:10 pm, with slack water at high tide, little swell, light wind and weak current.

Slack water comes from the tide: in inlets, channels and between islands the water can keep running for an hour or two after. Ask the local dive shop.

Never dive alone and check with the local dive shop: this rating is a guide, not a substitute for a professional.

How it works · Next 7 days

Dive sites, wrecks and dive shops nearby

Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors

Within 12 mi. Some may be missing or closed; marine reserves usually need a permit. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap

Sites: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Weather

Weather in Lyttelton

14-day weather

Now in Lyttelton

Now 55 °F Light drizzle · feels like 53 °F · 44 / 55 °F
Low / high
44 / 55 °F
Rain
0.26 in · 99%
Clouds
89%
Humidity
72%
Dew pointDew point
46 °F
Visibility
14 mi
UV indexUV
2 · low
Air qualityAir
Fair · 21
Saharan dust
No

Pressure and fishing

  • ↗ RisingRising · now Anglers say fish bite less for a while
  • → SteadySteady Anglers expect normal activity
  • ↘ FallingFalling Anglers say fish feed more before the change

Rising now (+0.05 inHg in 3 hours). Over the next 48 hours: +0.78 inHg. Rising pressure: anglers say fish bite less for a while. Fast changes, either way, tend to affect fishing.

Today, hour by hourHour by hour

Bars: mean wind. Dashed line: gusts. Arrows point where the wind blows to.

Time 12:00 am3:00 am6:00 am9:00 am12:00 pm3:00 pm6:00 pm9:00 pm
Sky OvercastPartly cloudyLight drizzleLight drizzleHeavy drizzleDrizzleLight drizzleLight drizzle
Temperature 53°54°53°55°55°55°52°46°
Wind (mph) 7 NNW7 NW9 W1 SW5 E9 NE9 ENE3 SE
Gusts 2324211519232221
Waves 1.3 ft1.3 ft1.3 ft1.1 ft1.1 ft1.1 ft1.1 ft1.0 ft
Rain 0.00 in0.00 in0.01 in0.00 in0.04 in0.02 in0.01 in0.01 in
  • 9:00 am 55° 1 SW 1.1 ft
  • 12:00 pm 55° 5 E 1.1 ft
  • 3:00 pm 55° 9 NE 1.1 ft
  • 6:00 pm 52° 9 ENE 1.1 ft
  • 9:00 pm 46° 3 SE 1.0 ft
  • 12:00 am 43° 2 NW 0.9 ft
  • 3:00 am 40° 4 NW 0.7 ft
  • 6:00 am 42° 6 NNW 0.6 ft

Next 14 daysComing days

Day Sky Low / high Max wind Max wave High tides
Today · 29 Heavy drizzle 44 / 55 °F 10 mph NNE 1.4 ft 7:31 am · 7:57 pm
Fri 30 Light drizzle 40 / 61 °F 22 mph SW 1.9 ft 8:27 am · 8:55 pm
Sat 31 Overcast 39 / 60 °F 14 mph NE 1.8 ft 9:23 am · 9:54 pm
Sun 1 Overcast 44 / 69 °F 17 mph NW 2.7 ft 10:21 am · 10:52 pm
Mon 2 Drizzle 57 / 71 °F 30 mph NNW 3.3 ft 11:19 am · 11:50 pm
Tue 3 Light drizzle 52 / 71 °F 10 mph SSW 1.8 ft 12:18 pm
Wed 4 Light drizzle 52 / 76 °F 7 mph NNE 1.6 ft 12:48 am · 1:16 pm
Thu 5 Drizzle 58 / 74 °F 15 mph NNE 2.8 ft 1:45 am · 2:13 pm
Fri 6 Overcast 56 / 65 °F 13 mph SW 2.6 ft 2:39 am · 3:05 pm
Sat 7 Light drizzle 54 / 62 °F 10 mph ENE 2.2 ft 3:32 am · 3:55 pm
Sun 8 Light drizzle 51 / 72 °F 16 mph S — 4:22 am · 4:43 pm
Mon 9 Light drizzle 47 / 55 °F 13 mph SSE — 5:10 am · 5:29 pm
Tue 10 Overcast 47 / 64 °F 11 mph NE — 5:57 am · 6:16 pm
Wed 11 Overcast 50 / 76 °F 13 mph SW — 6:42 am · 7:02 pm
  • Fri 30 Light drizzle 40° / 61° 1.9 ft
  • Sat 31 Overcast 39° / 60° 1.8 ft
  • Sun 1 Overcast 44° / 69° 2.7 ft
  • Mon 2 Drizzle 57° / 71° 3.3 ft
  • Tue 3 Light drizzle 52° / 71° 1.8 ft
  • Wed 4 Light drizzle 52° / 76° 1.6 ft
  • Thu 5 Drizzle 58° / 74° 2.8 ft
See all 14 days →

Each day comes from the best model covering this spot: regional ones first (HRRR and NBM in the U.S., AROME, ICON-EU), then ECMWF; day 16, NOAA GFS. Waves: Météo-France up to day 10, then ECMWF WAM, coarser and further offshore. High tides: our own tide calculation.

  • The models They don't agree · low confidence: unsure about wind tomorrow. See the models →
  • Outlook Next few weeks, compared with normal: a bit warmer and normal rain. See the outlook →
  • Normal Today, cooler than normal for late October (−6.8 °F; normal high: 62 °F). Climate by month →

Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 9:55 am (local time).

Sun

The sun in Lyttelton

Sunrise and sunset →

Sunrise and sunset

Rises 6:16 am in the ESE (109°)ESE
Sets 8:11 pm in the WSW (250°)WSW
  • First light 5:08 am
  • Full dark 9:19 pm
  • Civil dawn 5:45 am
  • Civil dusk 8:41 pm
  • Solar noon 1:13 pm (60° high)
  • Daylight 13 h 54 min (+3 min)
  • Evening golden hour 7:31 pm
  • Full dark 9:19 pm

Golden hour and the day-night map

Morning golden hour6:16–6:55 am
Evening golden hour7:31–8:11 pm
Lyttelton

Today the sun is 92,347,178 mi away and looks 32′ 11″ across.

Moon and solunar

The moon in Lyttelton

The moon for 7 days →

Moon phase and position

Waning gibbous · 89% 89% illuminated · 18.3 days old New moon on Mon, Nov 9 · 8:03 pm
Rises — does not rise today
Sets 7:38 am in the NW (309°)NW
Transit 3:24 am overhead
Visible —

Today the moon is 226,442 mi away and looks 32′ 47″ across.

Solunar periods

Today's activity: high
  • 2:24–4:24 am Major · the moon passes overhead · high activity
  • 2:56–4:56 pm Major · the moon passes underfoot · high activity
  • 7:08–8:08 am Minor · moonset · medium activity
  • 11:49 pm–12:49 am Minor · moonrise · medium activity

According to solunar theory, fish feed more when the moon passes overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 h) and when it rises or sets (minor periods, 1 h). It works best around new and full moon.

Upcoming moon phases

2026 moon calendar →
  • Last quarter Mon, Nov 2 · 9:29 amNov 2 in 4 days
  • New moon Mon, Nov 9 · 8:03 pmNov 9 in 11 days
  • First quarter Wed, Nov 18 · 12:48 amNov 18 in 20 days
  • Full moon Wed, Nov 25 · 3:54 amNov 25 in 27 days

Perigee on October 29, 226,426 mi away, coinciding with the spring tides from October 27 to 29: they will be stronger than usual.

Place

Where to fish in Lyttelton

All places in Canterbury →

Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby

Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors

Within 9.3 mi. A spot may be missing or closed. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap

Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.

Nearest lighthouse

Photo of Lyttelton Lighthouse
Photo: Michal Klajban · CC BY-SA 4.0

Lyttelton Lighthouse 0.4 mi south

Other lighthouses nearby: Purua Bay (2.0 mi southeast), Godley Head (4.6 mi east).

Data from Wikidata. For reference only: not for navigation. Wikidata · Sources and licenses

Tides near LytteltonTides nearby

All places in Canterbury, A to Z (77) →

Lyttelton at a glance

  • Town or city of about 3,220 people. Coordinates: 43.603° S, 172.718° E.
  • It is 6.4 mi southeast of Christchurch, the main place in Canterbury. The sun rises at the same time and sets at the same time than in Christchurch.
  • The nearest tide station, Lyttelton, is 0.2 mi to the north.
  • Its coast faces northeast.
  • Beaches and harbors nearby: Gladstone Wharf (0.5 mi), Corsair Bay (1.0 mi), Cass Bay (1.3 mi).

Questions about LytteltonQuestions

What time is high tide today in Lyttelton?

Today in Lyttelton there are high tides at 7:31 am (8.4 ft) and 7:57 pm (7.8 ft) and low tides at 1:11 am and 1:48 pm. Tide coefficient 82.

What time is sunset today in Lyttelton?

At 8:11 pm. There is light until the end of civil twilight, at 8:41 pm.

What time is sunrise tomorrow in Lyttelton?

At 6:15 am. First light comes at 5:06 am.

What phase is the moon today?

Waning gibbous, 89% illuminated. New moon on Mon, Nov 9 · 8:03 pm.

When are the next spring tides?

From October 27 to 29, together with the lunar perigee: they will be stronger than usual.

What are today's solunar periods?

Major 2:24–4:24 am, Minor 7:08–8:08 am, Major 2:56–4:56 pm, Minor 11:49 pm–12:49 am. Today's activity is high.

What's the weather like today in Lyttelton?

Heavy drizzle, from 44 °F to 55 °F, with a light air from the east-southeast (2 mph) and a 99% chance of rain.

How is the sea today in Lyttelton?

Smooth (Douglas 2): 1.0 ft waves with a period of 4.4 s from the north-northeast. The water is 59.2 °F.

When is the best time to visit Lyttelton?

The best time to visit Lyttelton is from January to February: highs of 71 °F, about 7 rainy days a month and 7 hours of sunshine a day.

Can I use this data for navigation?

No. These are predictions for fishing and leisure; for navigation, use the official publications.

Where this data comes from

Tide: Lyttelton station. This work is based on Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand data which are licensed by Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand for re-use under the CC BY 4.0 licence; via Slackwater database (changes). Sun and moon: our own calculation with astronomy-engine. Places: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Coastline: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

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