Surf Forecasts:
Blacks Reef surf forecast from 9 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 16 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 18s period, SE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 10 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, SSE swell with 3,300 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 12 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 13s period with S 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 Sunday (Jul 12) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 9s. 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 4.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 10) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Sun 12th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Thu 16th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Fri 10th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Blacks Reef over the next 16 days.
Listen up, you salty dogs, it’s Rusty.
We got one break in the bullpen here, Black’s Reef. The next couple days are a hard pass. Friday the 10th is pumping a solid 13ft Southerly swell with a 10-second period but a fresh, howling onshore wind is ruining it. Water temp is about average for the season, so no wetsuit drama. The wave energy is huge at (3589), but it’s all wind-clapped junk. Forget it.
You gotta wait till late Sunday the 12th. The swell finally drops, but the wind eases. Sunday morning shows a 3ft Southerly groundswell with a very long 15-second period under a light breeze. Being a reef, that long period will wrap in sweet. It’s only marginal, but it’s a start.
Your best bet, the only real window, is Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th. Monday morning is clean with a small 3ft Southerly swell and a light cross-offshore wind. Monday afternoon turns glassy with a clean offshore breeze from the NNE at 9 mph. We’re talking tiny, 3ft waves from the ESE, but it is clean, it’s surfable. Tuesday keeps that gentle offshore, but the swell is tiny, dropping to 2ft. The energy is weak, (224) on Monday, falling to (129) on Tuesday. Bring the biggest log you own.
Thursday the 16th afternoon offers a small reprieve with the wind going glassy. A 2ft ESE groundswell, period of 13 seconds. It’s clean, energy hits (323), but still not a hero-maker.
Then it’s a disaster zone from Friday the 17th. A big pulse of Southerly swell (8ft, 16-second period) arrives, but the onshore winds are back. Energy jumps to (2489), but it’s messy. A massive Southerly storm takes over from the 18th to the 20th with near gale-force winds and rain. The ocean’s a washing machine. Forget it.
A bigger, cleaner-looking set of swells rolls in around Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd. Got a solid 10ft swell from the SE with a 10-second period, but the wind is still blowing cross-onshore. It’s way too big and lumpy for a standard paddle; that setup screams kite surfing, not surfing. Wave energy is a massive (2075), but the quality is gone.
So, truth is, there’s no standout session here. The best of a rough hand is the clean, tiny window on Monday and Tuesday with offshore winds. It’s a reef spot that’s consistent, but it needs everything to line up. Right now, it ain’t happening.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 11°C on Thu night, min 8°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSE on Thu night, calm by Sun afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Wed afternoon, min 7°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thu 16 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | S 15 | S 13 | S 12 | SE 9 | S 10 | SSW 13 | S 12 | S 12 | ESE 10 | SE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 11 | ESE 13 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 5965 | 3300 | 2371 | 929 | 836 | 599 | 396 | 343 | 355 | 216 | 135 | 92 | 57 | 75 | 24 | 19 | 30 | 42 | 38 | 75 | 147 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy |
High Tide | 00:54AM1.67m | 1:22PM1.70m | 1:49AM1.70m | 2:19PM1.77m | 2:46AM1.73m | 3:16PM1.84m | 3:46AM1.75m | 4:14PM1.90m | 4:46AM1.78m | 5:14PM1.94m | 5:45AM1.79m | 6:14PM1.96m | 6:44AM1.79m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:07AM0.30m | 7:39PM0.34m | 8:00AM0.29m | 8:39PM0.30m | 8:58AM0.26m | 9:39PM0.25m | 10:00AM0.22m | 10:38PM0.19m | 11:01AM0.15m | 11:37PM0.13m | 11:59AM0.08m | 00:36AM0.09m | 12:53PM0.04m | ||||||||
 |  | |  | |  |  |  |  |  | | | |  | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — |
 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:02 | — | — | 5:04 | — | — | 5:04 | — | — | 5:05 |
mm | 15 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
Feels °C | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 20 | SSW 18 | S 17 | SE 10 | S 10 | S 18 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | ESE 11 | ESE 13 |
| kJ | 98 | 107 | 146 | 929 | 55 | 248 | 396 | 260 | 206 | 190 | 115 | 92 | 47 | 50 | 23 | 42 | 12 | 11 | 18 | 75 | 147 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 18 | S 17 | S 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 10 | S 16 | S 15 | S 13 | S 12 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 12 | S 12 | ESE 10 | SE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ENE 5 | SE 21 |
| kJ | — | 182 | 147 | 121 | 48 | 33 | 334 | 343 | 355 | 216 | 135 | 92 | 47 | 75 | 24 | 19 | 30 | 42 | 38 | 11 | 111 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | S 20 | SSW 14 | SSW 10 | — | SW 20 | E 12 | S 15 | S 15 | SSW 13 | E 15 | SE 11 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | S 16 | ESE 13 | SE 14 | SE 16 |
| kJ | — | — | 252 | 135 | 71 | 68 | 31 | — | 15 | 3 | 18 | 40 | 57 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 32 | 53 | 65 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSW 7 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | — | — | — | NNE 3 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 5965 | 3300 | 2371 | 302 | 836 | 599 | 63 | 47 | — | — | — | 3 | 8 | 13 | 84 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 162 | 162 | 157 | 79 | 9 | 41 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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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