
Surf Forecasts:
Blacks Reef surf forecast from 31 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 4 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 14s period, S swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 4 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 14s period, S swell with 11,135 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 2 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 11s 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 (Aug 02) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 14s. 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 5.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Tue 4th Aug) | 16ft (5.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Tue 4th Aug) | 16ft (5.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Blacks Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s shaping up for Blacks Reef.
Right now, we’re looking at a pretty rough start. The first few days are a write-off. Saturday the 1st through to Tuesday the 5th is just a mess – strong onshore winds, rain, and a lot of raw, unruly energy. The swell is big, but the wind is absolutely trashing it. We’re talking combined energy readings in the thousands (1231 to 9900), which is a lot of power, but it’s all for nothing with the wind blowing straight on. It’s not surfable, so don’t even bother.
We finally get a break on Wednesday the 6th. The wind starts to ease, but it’s still cross-onshore so the surf is marginal. The swell drops to a more manageable 8 ft from the S, with a moderate energy (1650). It’s a wait-and-see day.
Now, the real standout is Friday the 7th. This is the one to circle. The morning brings glassy conditions – a light NNW wind, dead calm. The swell is a clean 5 ft from the S, but here’s the kicker: that period is 17 seconds. That’s a very long period groundswell, packing some serious punch. The energy is strong (2012). This is going to be a beautiful, clean wave, but it’s going to be big, powerful, and a bit tricky for the average punter. This is definitely one for the experienced crew. The afternoon gets even better for the experts, with the swell bumping up to 10 ft and the wind turning clean offshore. The energy jumps to 4615. That’s a very heavy, powerful wave.
Saturday the 8th is still good, but a step down. Clean, offshore winds in the morning with 6 ft of S swell (1218 energy). The afternoon is glassy with 6 ft waves. It’s a solid, fun day, but not as epic as Friday.
The next week is pretty quiet. Sunday the 9th through to Thursday the 13th is mostly small, weak, and often wonky. There’s a brief moment on Thursday the 13th afternoon with a clean 3 ft from the E on a light offshore wind, but it’s not enough to write home about.
Then, out of the blue, we get another potential standout on Friday the 14th. The afternoon looks excellent, with a 10 ft swell from the SSW and clean, light offshore winds from the NE. The energy is solid (1500). This is a long-range call, so it’s a promise, not a guarantee, but it’s a good one for experienced surfers.
The water temp is sitting at 55°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a good wetsuit for that Friday session.
So, to sum it up: the first few days are a total loss. The best on offer is Friday the 7th – that’s the one if you’ve got the skill. Friday the 14th is the promising long-range option. The rest of the window is a mix of small, marginal, or blown-out.
Stay patient, and keep an eye on that Friday the 7th forecast.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon afternoon, min 5°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Sat morning, light winds from the NW by Sun afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Very mild (max 10°C on Tue morning, min 4°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Tue afternoon, calm by Thu afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 9 | S 10 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 12 | S 12 | S 15 | S 15 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | SSE 10 | S 17 | S 16 | S 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1070 | 1778 | 3139 | 1880 | 1179 | 878 | 627 | 613 | 547 | 1511 | 9900 | 7188 | 4578 | 3397 | 2139 | 1644 | 1124 | 607 | 1326 | 4425 | 2545 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:50PM1.58m | 8:14AM1.51m | 8:34PM1.61m | 8:57AM1.55m | 9:19PM1.63m | 9:39AM1.59m | 10:04PM1.65m | 10:22AM1.63m | 10:51PM1.66m | 11:10AM1.67m | 11:41PM1.67m | 12:04PM1.70m | 00:33AM1.67m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:30PM0.31m | 2:07AM0.29m | 2:15PM0.29m | 2:50AM0.27m | 3:02PM0.29m | 3:34AM0.27m | 3:49PM0.29m | 4:19AM0.27m | 4:38PM0.30m | 5:05AM0.28m | 5:29PM0.31m | 5:54AM0.28m | 6:23PM0.31m | ||||||||
7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | |
— | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | |
mm | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 12 |
Feels °C | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 16 | SE 15 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 12 | S 12 | S 15 | ENE 12 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | S 16 | S 14 |
118 | 149 | 3139 | 1880 | 1179 | 878 | 627 | 613 | 547 | 1511 | 14 | 7188 | 4578 | 3397 | 2139 | 1644 | 1124 | 607 | 482 | 4425 | 2545 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 11 | E 17 | E 10 | E 16 | SSE 15 | ENE 14 | S 21 | SSW 9 | S 18 | E 12 | — | — | — | — | NE 11 | E 18 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 17 | SE 13 | ENE 14 |
37 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 242 | 21 | 36 | 90 | 99 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 6 | 486 | 88 | 1326 | 190 | 21 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 17 | ENE 17 | E 16 | — | E 15 | — | ENE 13 | S 20 | NE 13 | — | — | — | — | — | NE 11 | NE 11 | NE 10 | E 16 | S 10 | — | — |
6 | 29 | 5 | — | 4 | — | 17 | 69 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 204 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 9 | S 10 | — | — | — | — | NW 3 | — | SW 6 | S 7 | S 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
1070 | 1778 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 54 | 298 | 9900 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 62 | 114 | 41 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 41 | 82 | 75 | 75 | 94 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 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.











