Blacks Reef surf break

Blacks Reef surfForecast / Gisborne and Mahia / New Zealand

information circle16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 5 am Thursday 14 May 2026 NZST
Forecast 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
15.6° C
(Which is slightly cooler than normal)

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 Monday (May 18) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 6s. 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 2.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Friday (May 15) at 3PM. 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 5s period and expected on Wednesday (May 20) at 9PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Mon 18th May)3ft (0.9m) 9s
Best Surf 9PM (Mon 18th May)3ft (0.9m) 9s
Most Powerful 3PM (Fri 15th May)6.5ft (2.0m) 15s

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


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Thu morning. Very mild (max 13°C on Thu morning, min 11°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Tue afternoon, min 10°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Thursday
14
Friday
15
Saturday
16
Sunday
17
Monday
18
Tuesday
19
Wednesday
20
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
0
0
2
2
1
0
0
1
0
1
2
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.4
S
13
2.1
S
12
1.9
S
10
1.6
S
9
2
S
15
1.9
S
14
1.7
S
13
1.6
S
12
1.5
S
11
1.4
S
11
1.4
S
10
1.6
SSE
10
1.4
SSE
10
0.9
S
9
0.9
S
9
0.8
S
10
0.8
S
9
0.7
S
9
0.6
S
8
0.5
S
8
0.3
SSE
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1883
1248
724
416
1860
1352
917
735
573
459
424
482
365
132
142
120
113
78
50
36
13
Wind (km/h)
20
S
25
SSW
20
SW
15
SSW
15
SSW
15
SSW
20
SW
20
SSW
15
SSW
10
SSE
20
SSE
15
SSE
10
S
10
SSW
10
W
10
W
5
SE
10
N
5
N
15
NE
10
NNW
on
on
on
on
on
on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
cross
cross-on
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
3:10PM1.60m
3:35AM1.68m
4:03PM1.71m
4:30AM1.74m
4:58PM1.82m
5:26AM1.80m
5:54PM1.91m
6:24AM1.83m
6:51PM1.97m
7:22AM1.84m
7:47PM1.99m
8:20AM1.83m
8:44PM1.97m
Low Tide
9:25PM0.31m
9:48AM0.27m
10:20PM0.27m
10:45AM0.24m
11:16PM0.22m
11:41AM0.21m
00:13AM0.18m
12:37PM0.16m
1:11AM0.14m
1:32PM0.13m
2:10AM0.10m
2:28PM0.09m
rain showers
rain showers
light rain
rain showers
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:03
7:03
7:05
7:05
7:07
7:07
7:07
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:06
5:05
5:04
5:02
5:01
5:01
5:00
2
1
3
2
2
1
2
3
1
Temp °C
13
13
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
13
13
13
13
13
12
13
14
12
15
15
12
9
8
8
9
9
10
8
8
8
10
9
10
11
11
11
11
13
10
14
13
10
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.4
S
13
0.5
S
17
0.4
E
9
0.8
S
17
2
S
15
1.9
S
14
1.7
S
13
0.5
E
11
1.5
S
11
0.5
E
10
1.4
S
10
0.5
S
17
1.1
S
10
0.9
S
9
0.9
S
9
0.8
S
10
0.8
S
9
0.7
S
9
0.6
S
8
0.5
S
8
0.7
ENE
5
Energy kJ
1883
145
25
380
1860
1352
917
56
573
49
424
143
220
132
142
120
113
78
50
36
24
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
S
18
0.4
E
9
0.4
E
9
0.4
E
10
0.5
E
11
0.5
E
11
0.4
S
16
0.5
E
10
0.1
S
23
0.4
E
10
0.4
E
10
0.6
ESE
5
0.6
ESE
5
0.4
SE
6
0.4
ESE
5
0.5
ESE
5
0.5
E
5
0.5
E
5
0.2
E
8
0.3
SSE
8
Energy kJ
226
26
28
30
56
57
79
52
11
31
30
23
22
8
8
15
14
14
6
13
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
E
9
0.5
E
10
0.3
S
16
0.1
S
22
0.1
S
20
0.2
SSW
18
0.3
S
15
0.1
E
15
0.4
S
15
0.3
E
9
0.3
E
10
0.3
E
10
0.3
E
9
0.3
E
9
0.3
E
8
0.2
ESE
13
0.3
ENE
8
Energy kJ
26
48
46
10
8
32
42
4
71
15
17
17
16
14
12
17
11
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.1
S
12
1.9
S
10
1.6
S
9
1.6
S
12
1.4
S
11
1.3
SSE
7
1.6
SSE
10
1.4
SSE
10
0.8
ENE
5
0.3
NNW
2
Energy kJ
1248
724
416
735
459
145
482
365
32
1
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
3
3
4
4
1
3
4
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Distance (km)
88
157
41
14
14
14
9
93
14
44
99
73
6
3
3
3
0
0
0
0
55
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
4
4
1
4
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand
Rating
(10 max)
5
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
9
4
5
4
5
5
5
4
5
4
5
5
7
4
5
5
4
4
5
5
5
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Blacks Reef:

join our community of surf reporters

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.

Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest