Surf Forecasts:
Motunau Beach surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 11 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 20s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 11 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 20s period, SSE swell with 234 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 6s period with ESE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Motunau Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Motunau Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 14s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 10s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Motunau Beach in the next 16 days are 0.5m 20s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 11) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 4s period and expected on Friday (Sep 04) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Fri 11th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 20s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Fri 11th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 20s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Motunau Beach over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu afternoon, min 10°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WNW on Fri morning, light winds from the NNW by Sat night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Sun night. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun afternoon, min 4°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the ESE on Mon afternoon, fresh winds from the SW by Tue afternoon). | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 16 | S 16 | S 15 | S 12 | SSE 14 | SSE 18 | SSE 18 | SSE 17 | SSE 16 | S 16 | SE 5 | ESE 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ESE 7 | ENE 5 | E 7 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 30 | 16 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 20 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 25 | 42 | 51 | 51 | 58 | 65 | 36 | 26 | 21 | 7 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | off | cross-on | on | cross | off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:30PM1.65m | 10:02AM1.75m | 10:28PM1.66m | 11:01AM1.79m | 11:27PM1.67m | 12:00PM1.83m | 00:25AM1.71m | 12:58PM1.87m | 1:22AM1.74m | 1:54PM1.91m | 2:17AM1.78m | 2:48PM1.93m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:46AM0.22m | 4:22PM0.25m | 4:41AM0.20m | 5:20PM0.24m | 5:38AM0.17m | 6:18PM0.21m | 6:35AM0.13m | 7:15PM0.17m | 7:32AM0.09m | 8:10PM0.13m | 8:28AM0.06m | 9:05PM0.10m | ||||||||
 |  | | |  |  |  | | | |  |  |  | | |  | | | |  | |
 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — |
 | 6:02 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 7 | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 18 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 13 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 11 | SE 10 | NE 5 | NE 9 | SE 11 | S 12 | SSE 14 | SSE 18 | SSE 18 | SSE 17 | ENE 8 | E 10 | E 10 | ESE 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ESE 7 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 |
| kJ | 30 | 16 | 19 | 37 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 51 | 58 | 65 | 36 | 26 | 19 | 2 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | S 19 | SE 9 | S 9 | S 15 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | — | E 10 | SSE 16 | S 16 | S 15 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 6 | SSE 8 | E 6 | E 7 |
| kJ | 2 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | 2 | 25 | 42 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 6 | 7 | 4 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 15 | E 10 | SE 16 | S 16 | S 8 | E 8 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | NE 4 | S 9 | E 10 | E 10 | S 15 | S 13 | E 16 | S 21 | S 20 | SSE 14 | SE 14 |
| kJ | 5 | 2 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 21 | 7 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 3 | N 4 | NNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | NNW 3 | NNW 4 | N 4 | NNE 4 | N 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 | — | — | — | WSW 3 | NE 2 | NNW 3 | NW 4 |
| kJ | 7 | 9 | 11 | 45 | 29 | 2 | 11 | 14 | 31 | 9 | 4 | 28 | 51 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 6 | 13 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 70 | 100 | 100 | 67 | 1 | 70 | 1 | 70 | 1 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 62 | 1 | 81 | 81 | 70 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Canterbury | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Motunau Beach 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 Motunau Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Motunau Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Motunau Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Motunau Beach 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 (Motunau Beach) 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 Motunau Beach 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Canterbury? If you are looking for accommodation near Motunau Beach, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Canterbury, consider staying in Christchurch which is 64 km (40 miles) away.
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