Scotts Beach today
- Beach day Not today Not a beach day · 0/10
- Tide now 7.7 ft ↓ falling · low 7:39 pm (2.3 ft)
- Best time tomorrow 7:30–8:40 pm poor day · 1/10
- Waves · water 11 ft · 57 °F rough · 9.8 s from the west-southwest
- Wind · air 27 mph · 55 °F from the SW, gusts 36 · drizzle
- Surf tomorrow 8.2–13 ft Poor day · 0/10 · 6:00–10:00 am
- Sun 6:23 am–8:08 pm 13 h 45 min of daylight
- Moon 89% waning gibbous
Today in Scotts Beach there are high tides at 1:03 am (12.4 ft) and 1:26 pm (12.2 ft) and low tides at 7:17 am and 7:39 pm. Tide coefficient 91. Right now the tide is falling toward the low tide at 7:39 pm. The sun rises at 6:23 am and sets at 8:08 pm: 13 h 45 min of daylight. The moon is 89% illuminated (waning gibbous). Major solunar periods run from 2:26 am to 4:26 am and from 2:58 pm to 4:58 pm. The next spring tides arrive from October 27 to 29. The sea is rough, with 11 ft waves. There's a strong breeze from the southwest (27 mph). Drizzle, 55 °F.
Beach day in Scotts Beach
Is it a beach day?
- Sun and clouds
- UV 6 (high): SPF 50 sunscreen
- Low tide at 7:17 am: more sand
- Low tide at 7:39 pm: more sand
- Feels like 49 °F: chilly for the beach
- Thunderstorms: get out of the water and off 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 Dangerous · 12 ft
12 ft waves every 10 s: dangerous for swimming. Stay out if the red flag is up. High rip current risk. If you're caught in a rip current, don't swim against it: swim parallel to shore and wave for help. Always follow the lifeguard's flags.
- Water 57 °F
Very cold: ease in and keep swims short.
- Sun & sunscreen UV 6 · SPF 50
Max UV 6 (high): SPF 50 sunscreen, reapplied every 2 hours.
- Wind 27 mph
Strong onshore wind (27 mph): blowing sand.
- Tide & sand 7:39 pm
Low tide at 7:17 am and 7:39 pm: that's when there's the most sand. High tide at 1:03 am and 1:26 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
About Scotts BeachThe beach
8.8 mi from Oparara. Tides, weather and sun in Oparara →
- Restrooms
Amenities from OpenStreetMap: some may be missing or out of date. See on OpenStreetMap · Fix on OpenStreetMap
Beaches near Scotts Beach
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Big Rock Beach 1.0 mi · N
- Kōura Beach 1.7 mi · N
- Twin Beach 2.8 mi · N
- Nettle Beach 3.7 mi · N
- Twenty Minute Beach 4.5 mi · N
- Heaphy Beach 6.2 mi · N
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).
Webcams near Scotts Beach
Webcams provided by windy.com — add a webcam
Fishing in Scotts Beach today
Best time to fish
Solunar activity today: high- Low tide at 7:17 am
- Minor period 7:21–8:21 am (moonset)
- Sunrise at 6:23 am
- Falling pressure (−0.27 inHg in 24 h), moderate onshore wind (18 mph) and 8.1 ft waves
- Waning gibbous: a bit more activity than at the quarters
- Highest tide coefficient today: 91 (spring tides)
Your day at a glance
The best window, 6:20 am to 7:30 am, combines the 7:17 am low tide, moonset, sunrise and falling pressure, though with moderate wind. Also worth a try from 12:00 am to 2:00 am, with the 1:03 am high tide and falling pressure, though with moderate wind.
Species with the most records nearby: tope shark, John Dory and Australasian snapper. What you can catch
Tides in Scotts Beach
Today's high and low tides
- ▲ High tide 1:03 am 12.4 ft · coef. 91
- ▼ Low tide 7:17 am 2.2 ft
- ▲ High tide 1:26 pm 12.2 ft · coef. 88
- ▼ Next low tide 7:39 pm 2.3 ft
↓ Falling The tide is falling. 3 h 10 min to low tide at 7:39 pm.
Tide coefficient 91 for the 1:03 am high tide and 88 for the 1:26 pm high tide. Spring tides. The water rises and falls 10.3 ft between the highest high and the lowest low: a large 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 August 13 (13.0 ft) and the lowest, on March 20 (1.4 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 26 to 28 (coefficient 94, 10.8 ft range). The smallest, on October 19 (coefficient 36, 4.1 ft).
Tide and solunar table · this week
| Day | Sun | Tide 1 | Tide 2 | Tide 3 | Tide 4 | Coef. | Moon | Major periods | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today, Thu 29 | 6:23 am · 8:08 pm | High tide 1:03 am · 12.4 ft | Low tide 7:17 am · 2.2 ft | High tide 1:26 pm · 12.2 ft | Low tide 7:39 pm · 2.3 ft | Coef. 91 | 89% | Major periods 2:26 am · 2:58 pm | High |
| Fri 30 | 6:22 am · 8:09 pm | High tide 1:54 am · 12.0 ft | Low tide 8:06 am · 2.6 ft | High tide 2:17 pm · 11.8 ft | Low tide 8:33 pm · 2.7 ft | Coef. 84 | 81% | Major periods 3:31 am · 4:03 pm | Medium |
| Sat 31 | 6:21 am · 8:11 pm | High tide 2:51 am · 11.4 ft | Low tide 9:02 am · 3.2 ft | High tide 3:16 pm · 11.3 ft | Low tide 9:37 pm · 3.3 ft | Coef. 75 | 71% | Major periods 4:35 am · 5:06 pm | Medium |
| Sun 1 | 6:19 am · 8:12 pm | High tide 3:58 am · 10.9 ft | Low tide 10:06 am · 3.7 ft | High tide 4:27 pm · 10.9 ft | Low tide 10:50 pm · 3.6 ft | Coef. 66 | 60% | Major periods 5:36 am · 6:05 pm | Medium |
| Mon 2 | 6:18 am · 8:13 pm | High tide 5:12 am · 10.5 ft | Low tide 11:20 am · 4.1 ft | High tide 5:45 pm · 10.7 ft | — | Coef. 60 | Last quarter | Major periods 6:32 am · 6:58 pm | Medium |
| Tue 3 | 6:17 am · 8:14 pm | Low tide 12:05 am · 3.8 ft | High tide 6:25 am · 10.4 ft | Low tide 12:34 pm · 4.1 ft | High tide 6:57 pm · 10.8 ft | Coef. 59 | 38% | Major periods 7:24 am · 7:48 pm | Medium |
| Wed 4 | 6:16 am · 8:15 pm | Low tide 1:14 am · 3.6 ft | High tide 7:32 am · 10.6 ft | Low tide 1:41 pm · 3.9 ft | High tide 8:00 pm · 11.1 ft | Coef. 63 | 28% | Major periods 8:11 am · 8:34 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
Scotts Beach has no station of its own, so we use the tide at Little Wanganui (LINZ), 22 mi away. On the open coast the difference is usually a few minutes and inches; inside estuaries, rivers and enclosed bays it can be much larger. It is a NOAA subordinate station: its times and heights come from the Westport reference station with the official corrections.
Station data attribution: 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 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Modified: secondary port of the LINZ Secondary Ports table 2026-27 (https://www.linz.govt.nz/products-services/tides-and-tidal-streams/tide-predictions), computed by TidePlanet with the LINZ method from the harmonic constants of Westport in the Slackwater database (https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database).
The sea at Scotts Beach
Sea stateSea state: rough
The waves you may find
- Most commonMost common5.7 ft
- Significant11 ft
- Highest expectedHighest23 ft
One wave in seven is higher than the significant height, and about 3 times a day one reaches 23 ft. Before heading out, expect waves of up to 23 ft.
Wind on the coast and offshore
The model doesn't separate offshore wind here: it's the same as on the coast.
Cross-onshore wind. The coast faces west 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.
Wave height, next 7 daysWaves, next 7 days
Waves build over the next few days. The biggest waves arrive on Friday 30: 16 ft with a period of 11 s, from the west-southwest (very rough).
Water temperature
Water temperature →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 about normal for late October.
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 4:29 pm (local time).
Surf in Scotts Beach today
Surf today
Poor- 3.6–5.5 ft surf at the shore, a good size with some punch
- 5.2 ft swell at 7 s from the west, short: weak, messy waves
- Moderate onshore wind (17 mph): choppy, blown-out waves
- Falling tide (low tide at 7:17 am)
- Light: First light 5:54 am · sunrise 6:23 am · sunset 8:08 pm · last light 8:38 pm
- Tide: high 1:03 am (12.4 ft), low 7:17 am (2.2 ft), high 1:26 pm (12.2 ft) and low 7:39 pm (2.3 ft). Every break has its own tide: some work at low tide and others at high tide. The tide doesn’t change the score here.
- Water at 57.2 °F: a 4/3 fullsuit (booties if you run cold).
- Energy: 225 kJ · Medium power
Today’s surf at a glance
The best window, 6:00 am to 8:00 am, has a good size, though with a short-period swell and onshore wind. 9:00 am to 10:00 am can also work, with a good size, though with big surf and onshore wind.
An estimate for this stretch of coast, not for a specific break: every beach or reef works its own way (its tide, bottom and angle). Check it when you get there.
Follow the flags and the lifeguards, and don’t paddle out if the surf is above your level: this score is a guide, not a substitute for what you see when you get there.
Diving in Scotts Beach today
Diving and snorkeling today
Likely visibility: poor- Slack water around low tide (7:17 am): little current from 6:50 am to 7:40 am
- 5.3 ft swell at 6 s from the west-northwest: strong surge on the bottom
- Moderate onshore wind (18 mph)
- 0.6 mph current toward the north-northeast (model)
- Daylight
- Slack water today: high tide 1:03 am (12:40–1:30 am), low tide 7:17 am (6:50–7:40 am), high tide 1:26 pm (1:00–1:50 pm) and low tide 7:39 pm (7:10–8:10 pm)
- Likely visibility: poor. Swell (up to 7.9 ft at 10 s) and rain (0.71 in) over the last few days have stirred up the water. Based on the last 24 hours of data.
- Water at 57.2 °F: a 7 mm wetsuit, with hood and booties.
- Snorkeling: better not, with these waves, wind or current.
- Night dive: dark from 8:38 pm. Waning gibbous (89%): a bright night.
Your diving day at a glance
The best window, 6:20 am to 7:30 am, lines up with slack water at low tide, though with some swell, moderate wind and 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.
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 in Scotts Beach
Now in Scotts Beach
- Low / high
- 52 / 57 °F
- Rain
- 0.83 in · 100%
- Clouds
- 66%
- Humidity
- 66%
- Dew pointDew point
- 43 °F
- Visibility
- 11 mi
- UV indexUV
- 3 · low
- Air qualityAir
- Fair · 34
- Saharan dust
- No
Pressure and fishing
- ↗ RisingRising Anglers say fish bite less for a while
- → SteadySteady · now Anglers expect normal activity
- ↘ FallingFalling Anglers say fish feed more before the change
Steady now (−0.00 inHg in 3 hours). Over the next 48 hours: +0.69 inHg. Steady pressure: anglers expect normal activity. 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 am | 3:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:00 am | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 9:00 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky | Partly cloudy | Light drizzle | Drizzle | Light rain | Heavy drizzle | Partly cloudy | Drizzle | Heavy drizzle |
| Temperature | 57° | 57° | 56° | 56° | 56° | 55° | 55° | 53° |
| Wind (mph) | 17 W | 16 WNW | 17 WNW | 24 WNW | 23 WSW | 26 SW | 27 SW | 27 SW |
| Gusts | 25 | 22 | 23 | 31 | 33 | 34 | 36 | 38 |
| Waves | 6.6 ft | 7.1 ft | 7.8 ft | 9.0 ft | 10 ft | 11 ft | 11 ft | 12 ft |
| Rain | 0.00 in | 0.01 in | 0.04 in | 0.09 in | 0.04 in | 0.00 in | 0.02 in | 0.05 in |
- 6:00 pm 55° 27 SW 11 ft
- 9:00 pm 53° 27 SW 12 ft
- 12:00 am 51° 24 SW 12 ft
- 3:00 am 51° 20 SW 12 ft
- 6:00 am 53° 19 WSW 12 ft
- 9:00 am 55° 29 WSW 13 ft
- 12:00 pm 54° 32 SW 15 ft
- 3:00 pm 54° 33 SW 15 ft
Next 14 daysComing days
| Day | Sky | Low / high | Max wind | Max wave | High tides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today · 29 | 52 / 57 °F | 27 mph WSW | 12 ft | 1:03 am · 1:26 pm | |
| Fri 30 | 51 / 55 °F | 35 mph SW | 16 ft | 1:54 am · 2:17 pm | |
| Sat 31 | 53 / 55 °F | 30 mph SSW | 16 ft | 2:51 am · 3:16 pm | |
| Sun 1 | 53 / 57 °F | 16 mph N | 8.1 ft | 3:58 am · 4:27 pm | |
| Mon 2 | 56 / 59 °F | 20 mph N | 6.6 ft | 5:12 am · 5:45 pm | |
| Tue 3 | 58 / 60 °F | 14 mph NNE | 6.6 ft | 6:25 am · 6:57 pm | |
| Wed 4 | 60 / 62 °F | 16 mph NNE | 5.1 ft | 7:32 am · 8:00 pm | |
| Thu 5 | 60 / 62 °F | 20 mph NNE | 5.0 ft | 8:32 am · 8:54 pm | |
| Fri 6 | 59 / 60 °F | 11 mph NNW | 5.1 ft | 9:22 am · 9:41 pm | |
| Sat 7 | 60 / 63 °F | 25 mph NNE | 7.0 ft | 10:07 am · 10:23 pm | |
| Sun 8 | 57 / 60 °F | 20 mph WNW | 8.1 ft | 10:46 am · 11:01 pm | |
| Mon 9 | 54 / 57 °F | 15 mph SW | 10 ft | 11:22 am · 11:37 pm | |
| Tue 10 | 55 / 57 °F | 18 mph SSW | 9.3 ft | 11:56 am | |
| Wed 11 | 54 / 58 °F | 22 mph S | 6.6 ft | 12:12 am · 12:30 pm |
- Fri 30 Rain 51° / 55° 16 ft
- Sat 31 Light drizzle 53° / 55° 16 ft
- Sun 1 Light drizzle 53° / 57° 8.1 ft
- Mon 2 Light drizzle 56° / 59° 6.6 ft
- Tue 3 Light drizzle 58° / 60° 6.6 ft
- Wed 4 Light drizzle 60° / 62° 5.1 ft
- Thu 5 Light rain 60° / 62° 5.0 ft
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 today. See the models →
- Outlook Next few weeks, compared with normal: a bit warmer, normal rain and a slightly warmer sea. See the outlook →
- Normal Today, normal highs for late October (58 °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 4:29 pm (local time).
The sun in Scotts Beach
Sunrise and sunset
- First light 5:18 am
- Full dark 9:13 pm
- Civil dawn 5:54 am
- Civil dusk 8:38 pm
- Solar noon 1:15 pm (62° high)
- Daylight 13 h 45 min (+3 min)
- Evening golden hour 7:31 pm
- Full dark 9:13 pm
Golden hour and the day-night map
Today the sun is 92,347,136 mi away and looks 32′ 11″ across.
The moon in Scotts Beach
Moon phase and position
Today the moon is 226,442 mi away and looks 32′ 47″ across.
Solunar periods
Today's activity: high- 2:26–4:26 am Major · the moon passes overhead · high activity
- 2:58–4:58 pm Major · the moon passes underfoot · high activity
- 7:21–8:21 am Minor · moonset · medium activity
- 11:40 pm–12:40 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.
Where to fish in Scotts Beach
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
We have no piers, boat ramps or tackle shops on record within 9.3 mi of Scotts Beach.
If you know one, you can add it to OpenStreetMap and it will show up here after the next update. Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.
Water depth
Gentle slopeThe bottom slopes gently: 16 ft deep 0.3 mi from shore and 33 ft at 0.75 mi. It reaches 164 ft at 2.5 mi.
From the shoreline out to sea, heading west.
How far from shore
- 16 ft deep0.3 mi
- 33 ft deep0.75 mi
- 66 ft deep1.3 mi
- 164 ft deep2.5 mi
For fishing, swimming and diving
- Shore fishing. Shallow, gradual bottom (16 ft at 0.3 mi): cast far from the beach and fish the high tide, when there is more water close in.
- Swimming. A very gentle way in with plenty of shallow water, good for kids. At low tide the water can be far out.
- Diving. Shallow near shore: you only reach 33 ft at 0.75 mi. For dives deeper than 33 ft, go by boat.
Rough estimate: here the data comes in cells of about 0.3 mi and misses details near shore (rocks, sandbars, small coves).
Source: NOAA ETOPO 2022 (CC0), cells of about 0.3 mi; depth below mean sea level. For reference only: not for navigation or anchoring.
Tides near Scotts BeachTides nearby
- Oparara8.8 mi
- Karamea11 mi
- Market Cross11 mi
- Kongahu14 mi
- Te Namu20 mi
- Little Wanganui21 mi
- Waimarie31 mi
- Miko32 mi
- Nikau33 mi
- Hector37 mi
Scotts Beach at a glance
- Beach. Coordinates: 41.090° S, 172.103° E.
- It is 63 mi west of Nelson, the main place in Nelson. The sun rises 5 min later and sets 4 min later than in Nelson.
- 8.8 mi from Oparara.
- The nearest tide station, Little Wanganui, is 22 mi to the south.
- Its coast faces west.
- Beaches and harbors nearby: Big Rock Beach (1.0 mi), Koura Beach (1.7 mi), Twin Beach (2.8 mi), Twenty Minute Beach (4.5 mi).
Questions about Scotts BeachQuestions
Where is Scotts Beach?
8.8 mi from Oparara, in Nelson (New Zealand). The shore faces west.
What amenities does Scotts Beach have?
According to OpenStreetMap: restrooms. Some may be missing or out of date, so ask at the beach.
What time is high tide today in Scotts Beach?
Today in Scotts Beach there are high tides at 1:03 am (12.4 ft) and 1:26 pm (12.2 ft) and low tides at 7:17 am and 7:39 pm. Tide coefficient 91.
What time is sunset today in Scotts Beach?
At 8:08 pm. There is light until the end of civil twilight, at 8:38 pm.
What time is sunrise tomorrow in Scotts Beach?
At 6:22 am. First light comes at 5:17 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 2:26–4:26 am, Minor 7:21–8:21 am, Major 2:58–4:58 pm, Minor 11:40 pm–12:40 am. Today's activity is high.
What's the weather like today in Scotts Beach?
Rain, from 52 °F to 57 °F, with a strong breeze from the southwest (27 mph) and a 100% chance of rain.
How is the sea today in Scotts Beach?
Rough (Douglas 5): 11 ft waves with a period of 9.8 s from the west-southwest. The water is 57.4 °F.
When is the best time to visit Scotts Beach?
The best time to visit Scotts Beach is in February: highs of 67 °F, about 8 rainy days a month and 8 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: Little Wanganui secondary port, computed by TidePlanet with the time and height differences of the LINZ secondary ports table on Westport. 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. Sun and moon: our own calculation with astronomy-engine. Places: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Coastline: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).