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Photo locations · Hawke’s Bay · New Zealand

Te Mata Peak Summit: sunrise photography forecast

Te Mata Peak opens across the Heretaunga Plains toward Hawke’s Bay, with ridges and farmland making natural layers in low light. Both sunrise and sunset work; the wind usually decides which side of the summit is comfortable.

Sunset todaySunset tomorrowSunset Wednesday

Will tomorrow's sunrise be worth it?

Simplified forecast from the open model run. The full forecast — a second model, your exact viewpoint, the hourly cloud timeline — is in the app.

Global model, about 13 km: less certain than in Europe.

in 18h 52m

Blocked grey lid

Flat grey light · moody close-ups at best

Sky colors

Golden hour
Sunrise

Light corridor: blocked

Why: Cloud covers every point we sampled, so no direct light gets through.

  • Light path: blocked (64% blocking cloud at the ray's height)
  • Sun: likely hidden. You're inside the cloud at the viewpoint; the sun will not be visible from here.
  • Cloud: thick cloud between you and the low sun (89%); no real golden hour expected.
  • Rain: likely near you, which blocks most direct light
Viewer's line of sight, tangent to the Earth at your locationNear-ground relative humidity15% cover — too thin to draw as cloud15% cover — too thin to draw as cloud10% cover — too thin to draw as cloud19% cover — too thin to draw as cloudConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 10–65% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 10–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 40–100% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 60–60% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 48–76% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 10–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 49–100% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 60–60% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 64–76% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 10–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 100–100% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 0–100% cover · 10–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 76–76% cover · 10–10% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 10–100% cover · 10–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 100–100% cover · 45–45% visual uncertaintyConnected cloud layer · 64–100% cover · 10–25% visual uncertainty-5 km · 1.6 km of air with no pressure level in it — the decks above and below are measured, this span is not-5 km · 2.0 km of air with no pressure level in it — the decks above and below are measured, this span is not0 km · 1.6 km of air with no pressure level in it — the decks above and below are measured, this span is not0 km · 2.0 km of air with no pressure level in it — the decks above and below are measured, this span is not5 km · 1.6 km of air with no pressure level in it — the decks above and below are measured, this span is not5 km · 2.0 km of air with no pressure level in it — the decks above and below are measured, this span is not20 km · 1.6 km of air with no pressure level in it — the decks above and below are measured, this span is not20 km · 2.0 km of air with no pressure level in it — the decks above and below are measured, this span is not50 km · 2.0 km of air with no pressure level in it — the decks above and below are measured, this span is notlow cloud · 66% reported, 48% resolved on a pressure surface — 18% is somewhere between 0 and 3 km

Terrain is drawn for illustration only — it is not used to calculate underlight or obstruction.

cloud-cover fieldinterpolation uncertaintysun directionnear-ground humiditycloud at unresolved heightmodelled underlightunderlight · height uncertainunderlight · lit on one readinglit but hidden behind nearer cloud

Forecast refreshed a few hours before sunrise.

Know the light
before it happens

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For photographers: shooting Te Mata Peak Summit

Best months

March to May for warm autumn colour and calmer light; September to November for green hills. Summer can be dry and hazy.

Suggested focal lengths

16–35 mm for ridge foregrounds; 70–200 mm for folded hills, farms and distant coast.

Composition

Step away from the summit marker and use the walking ridges as lead-ins. Longer lenses are excellent when bands of light move over the plains.

Recommended arrival

Arrive 45–60 minutes before sunrise or sunset and scout a position sheltered from the prevailing wind.

Access planning

Summit-road access can close for weather, events or maintenance. Check the park notice and keep clear of mountain-bike trails.

Parking: Small summit and lower-park car parks; use the lower option if the summit road is closed.

Approach: Immediate from the summit car park, or a longer signed walk from lower entrances.

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