Blacks Reef Surf Break

Lat Long: 39.07° S 177.80° E

Issued: 5 am 03 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Blacks Reef sea temperature is
13.2° C

1.3°C colder than average for this time of year

Blacks Reef surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Blacks Reef surf forecast from 3 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 7 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 11s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 9 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, S swell with 1,858 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 3 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 12s period with ESE swell.

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 Friday (Jul 03) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Blacks Reef in the next 16 days are 3.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 09) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 8s period and expected on Monday (Jul 06) at 3PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 3PM (Fri 3rd Jul)4.5ft (1.4m) 12s
Best Surf 9PM (Tue 7th Jul)5ft (1.5m) 11s
Most Powerful 9PM (Thu 9th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 10s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Blacks Reef over the next 16 days.


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Alright folks, Rusty here with the outlook for the Blacks Reef area. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, with a great start, a long sloppy middle, and a ripper finish.

Friday, July 3rd is the pick of the first week. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the ESE with a 12-second period, packing moderate energy. The morning is dead glass with a light offshore breeze. It’s clean, it’s lined up, it’s the best session on offer right now. Water temp is a touch chilly at 56°F, a bit colder than normal.

Saturday hangs in there with similar 5ft surf and clean conditions, though the wind is a little stronger.

Then it all goes pear-shaped. From Sunday, July 5th, the swell drops to near nothing, and we get a huge gap. For over a week, from the 5th through the 13th, it’s mostly onshore wind, rain, and chop. The swell size comes up, but with onshore winds and short periods, anything over 7ft is just a messy, blown-out wall. Kite surfers might love it, but for a traditional paddle, it's a miss.

The real standout comes on Tuesday, July 14th. A clean 6ft groundswell from the SSE, 11-second period, with light, cross-offshore wind. That’s a gorgeous setup, and it’s going to produce some real quality. It’s a long-range call, but it looks proper.

Thursday, July 16th afternoon is one for the experts. A strong 8ft ESE swell, very high energy (2149), and clean offshore winds. That’s a powerful, hollow wave that’s only for the experienced crew.

Expect crowds on any clean day at Blacks Reef.

The long dry spell runs from Sunday the 5th through Monday the 13th. That’s a solid week of no-go.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun afternoon, min 7°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 28mm), heaviest during Wed night. Very mild (max 14°C on Mon morning, min 9°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue morning, strong winds from the SSW by Wed night).

Friday
3
Saturday
4
Sunday
5
Monday
6
Tuesday
7
Wednesday
8
Thursday
9
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
3
2
0
0
1
2
0
0
2
3
3
4
1
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.4
ESE
12
1.4
ESE
12
1.5
E
12
1.4
ESE
12
1.4
E
11
0.1
S
12
0.1
S
16
0.9
ESE
10
1.1
E
10
0.1
S
22
0.2
S
20
0.8
SSW
10
1.5
S
10
1.5
S
10
1.7
E
11
2
ESE
11
1.8
S
13
1.7
ESE
10
1.8
ESE
10
2.1
S
10
3
S
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
589
628
672
541
467
3
5
170
237
9
31
128
477
468
657
875
1170
610
612
865
1566
Wind (km/h)
5
WNW
5
ENE
10
NNW
10
N
15
NNE
20
NNE
15
NNW
5
NE
10
N
10
NE
25
NE
5
W
10
N
10
ENE
5
WSW
15
S
25
SW
35
S
40
SSW
40
SSW
40
SSW
Wind State
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
off
off
glassy
off
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
on
on
on
on
on
High Tide
8:17PM1.58m
8:43AM1.46m
9:00PM1.57m
9:24AM1.48m
9:44PM1.57m
10:05AM1.50m
10:30PM1.58m
10:48AM1.53m
11:16PM1.60m
11:34AM1.57m
00:04AM1.63m
12:26PM1.63m
00:54AM1.67m
Low Tide
1:58PM0.39m
2:37AM0.35m
2:42PM0.37m
3:19AM0.32m
3:27PM0.35m
4:02AM0.31m
4:14PM0.35m
4:46AM0.31m
5:01PM0.35m
5:32AM0.31m
5:49PM0.35m
6:18AM0.31m
6:42PM0.36m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
rain showers
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
part cloud
heavy rain
mod rain
light rain
mod rain
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:28
7:28
7:28
7:28
7:26
7:26
7:26
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
4:57
4:58
4:58
4:59
4:59
5:00
5:00
 mm
3
2
1
22
9
5
7
Temp °C
11
12
10
13
15
12
15
16
12
14
13
11
12
12
11
12
12
12
12
11
11
Feels °C
10
9
7
9
11
8
13
15
9
12
9
9
10
9
8
9
7
8
5
3
3
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.4
ESE
12
1.4
ESE
12
1.5
E
12
1.4
ESE
12
1.4
E
11
0.1
S
12
1.6
ENE
8
0.9
ESE
10
1.1
E
10
1.5
ENE
10
1.6
ENE
8
1.3
ENE
9
1.5
S
10
1.5
S
10
1.7
E
11
2
ESE
11
2.3
ESE
10
1.7
ESE
10
1.8
ESE
10
2.1
S
10
1.6
ESE
10
Energy kJ
589
628
672
541
467
3
280
170
237
407
350
289
477
468
657
875
1170
610
612
865
543
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
S
10
0.4
S
9
0.2
S
8
0.1
S
14
0.1
S
13
0.1
S
12
0.1
S
12
0.6
NE
7
0.1
S
15
0.1
S
14
0.2
S
20
0.8
SSW
10
1.1
E
10
1.2
E
10
1.5
S
10
0.5
S
14
0.8
S
9
0.4
SSW
13
1.5
S
9
1.6
ESE
10
0.5
S
19
Energy kJ
47
24
5
4
3
3
3
36
5
4
31
128
223
271
449
107
110
56
380
490
184
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.2
S
16
0.2
S
16
0.1
S
15
0.1
N
11
0.1
S
16
0.1
N
10
0.1
S
22
0.1
S
8
0.4
S
18
0.4
SSW
17
0.4
SSW
16
0.4
S
16
0.6
S
14
0.5
S
14
0.6
NNE
8
0.3
S
17
0.3
S
17
0.2
S
15
Energy kJ
20
20
4
2
5
2
9
1
103
96
86
79
148
96
46
49
51
17
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
NNE
5
1.6
ENE
11
1.5
NE
7
1.3
ENE
10
1.6
NE
6
2
NE
8
0.4
SW
3
1.1
S
10
1.8
S
13
1.5
S
6
3
S
9
Energy kJ
39
531
218
338
169
502
2
226
1127
171
1566
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
1
2
2
2
2
3
3
4
3
3
3
1
2
2
Distance (km)
0
0
0
0
0
33
33
0
0
33
45
0
0
0
0
14
91
99
139
168
91
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
1
2
2
2
2
3
3
4
3
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
5
8
9
5
4
4
4
4
3
4
5
4
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
9
5
9
5
5
6
5
9
7
5
8
9
8
6
8
9
6
9
5
5
9
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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