Surf Forecasts:
Motu River surf forecast from 21 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 23 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 6s period, WNW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 27 Sep, 1PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period, NW swell with 824 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 23 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 6s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Motu River this week:
The surf forecast for Motu River over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 23) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 6s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Motu River in the next 16 days are 2.5m 8s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 27) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Monday (Sep 28) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Wed 23rd Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Wed 23rd Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Sun 27th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Motu River over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Wed afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue afternoon, min 5°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun morning, min 7°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri afternoon, strong winds from the NW by Sun morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 21 | Tuesday 22 | Wednesday 23 | Thursday 24 | Friday 25 | Saturday 26 | Sunday 27 | ||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 4 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | W 5 | WNW 5 | N 11 | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | N 9 | N 13 | N 12 | WNW 4 | NW 5 | NW 7 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 5 | 74 | 45 | 83 | 99 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 23 | 247 | 774 | 754 | 311 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 2:32AM1.73m | 3:25PM1.79m | 3:29AM1.75m | 4:20PM1.82m | 4:22AM1.78m | 5:08PM1.87m | 5:13AM1.82m | 5:50PM1.92m | 6:01AM1.87m | 6:29PM1.97m | 6:49AM1.91m | 7:10PM2.00m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:42PM0.82m | 8:54AM0.78m | 9:33PM0.80m | 9:52AM0.75m | 10:23PM0.76m | 10:41AM0.69m | 11:12PM0.69m | 11:26AM0.62m | 00:00AM0.60m | 12:11PM0.57m | 00:46AM0.51m | 12:57PM0.53m | 1:31AM0.44m | |||||||
 |  | |  | | |  | | | | | | |  | | |  | |  | | |
 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — |
 | 6:04 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 7:08 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 7 | 3 | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 11 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 8 |
Feels °C | 12 | 8 | 14 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 3 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 7 | — | — | — | WNW 6 | NNW 6 | WNW 5 | WNW 4 | — | N 10 | WNW 3 | WNW 4 | N 13 | — | WNW 4 | NW 5 | NW 7 | — | — | NW 8 |
| kJ | 4 | — | — | — | 99 | 4 | 5 | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | — | 7 | 23 | 247 | — | — | 311 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | NW 7 | N 11 | N 10 | — | N 10 | N 9 | — | N 9 | N 14 | N 9 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 6 | — | — | — | — | — | N 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 4 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | SSW 3 | W 5 | — | SSE 3 | SSW 3 | W 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 8 | NW 8 | S 3 |
| kJ | 5 | 74 | 45 | 83 | 5 | 13 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 774 | 754 | 5 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 79 | 76 | 69 | 71 | 0 | 69 | 320 | 82 | 69 | 69 | 69 | 69 | 69 | 40 | 40 | 79 | 71 | 174 | 76 | 7 |
Best forecast wave conditions in East Cape | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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 Motu River 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 Motu River Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Motu River provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Motu River can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Motu River 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 (Motu River) 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 Motu River 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.
Motu River is 55 km (34 miles) from Whakatane. If you plan a holiday in East Cape, look for hotels and other accommodation in Whakatane. Whakatane has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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