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Blacks Reef Surf Forecast
/ Gisborne and Mahia (37 surf breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Blacks Reef surfForecast / Gisborne and Mahia / New Zealand
16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 5 pm Monday 18 May 2026 NZSTForecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Blacks Reef surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Blacks Reef sea temperature is
15.2° C
(Which is 1.1°C colder than average for this time of year)Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Blacks Reef this week:
The surf forecast for Blacks Reef over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (May 19) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 10s. Another secondary swell of 1.2m and 6s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Blacks Reef in the next 16 days are 2.1m 17s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (May 24) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 14s period and expected on Sunday (May 24) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Tue 19th May) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Sun 24th May) | 7ft (2.1m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Sun 24th May) | 7ft (2.1m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Blacks Reef over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 16°C on Wed afternoon, min 10°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu afternoon, min 10°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Mon 18 | Tuesday 19 | Wednesday 20 | Thursday 21 | Friday 22 | Saturday 23 | Sunday 24 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
SSE 9 | SSE 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | S 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | S 12 | S 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | E 13 | E 13 | S 17 | S 17 | |
237 | 284 | 154 | 117 | 79 | 58 | 55 | 31 | 16 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 34 | 31 | 136 | 263 | 134 | 694 | 640 | 2528 | 1907 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross | glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-on | glassy | off | off | |
High Tide | 6:51PM1.97m | 7:22AM1.84m | 7:47PM1.99m | 8:20AM1.83m | 8:44PM1.97m | 9:18AM1.80m | 9:41PM1.91m | 10:13AM1.75m | 10:38PM1.84m | 11:07AM1.68m | 11:36PM1.75m | 12:03PM1.61m | 00:31AM1.68m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:11AM0.14m | 1:32PM0.13m | 2:10AM0.10m | 2:28PM0.09m | 3:09AM0.08m | 3:26PM0.08m | 4:06AM0.07m | 4:23PM0.08m | 5:02AM0.08m | 5:19PM0.11m | 5:58AM0.11m | 6:15PM0.17m | 6:51AM0.15m | ||||||||
 |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | |  | | | | |  | | | |
 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 |
 | 5:01 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 4:59 | — | — | 4:58 | — | 4:58 |
— | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | |
Temp °C | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | ENE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | ENE 5 | S 11 | SSE 10 | NE 5 | S 14 | S 13 | ENE 13 | E 13 | E 13 | S 17 | S 17 |
 kJ | 237 | 284 | 154 | 117 | 79 | 58 | 55 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 21 | 34 | 20 | 136 | 263 | 458 | 694 | 633 | 2528 | 1907 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 10 | ESE 5 | ENE 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 8 | S 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 9 | NE 5 | ENE 9 | SSE 10 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | S 12 | S 16 | S 15 | E 12 | E 12 |
| kJ | 16 | 18 | 30 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 31 | 16 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 31 | 71 | 112 | 134 | 127 | 640 | 504 | 480 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 14 | SE 14 | E 10 | SE 6 | SSE 12 | E 9 | ESE 13 | E 8 | E 8 | SE 12 | S 12 | ENE 8 | SE 11 | ENE 12 | NE 5 | ENE 16 | SE 8 | S 10 | SE 11 | ESE 5 | S 18 |
| kJ | 16 | 8 | 17 | 8 | 26 | 13 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 28 | 8 | 48 | 3 | 56 | 5 | 14 | 758 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SE 6 | — | — | — | — | ENE 3 | NE 4 | — | NE 4 | — | — | NE 7 | NE 5 | — | — | SSW 3 | S 6 | S 6 | — | — |
| kJ | — | 96 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 24 | — | 12 | — | — | 13 | 40 | — | — | 2 | 125 | 101 | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 16 | 157 | 16 | 65 | 46 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 Blacks Reef 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 Blacks Reef Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Blacks Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Blacks Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Blacks Reef 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 (Blacks Reef) 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 Blacks Reef 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.
Blacks Reef is 50 km (31 miles) from the city of Gisborne. If you plan a holiday in Gisborne and Mahia, look for hotels and other accommodation in Gisborne. Gisborne has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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