
Surf Forecasts:
Blacks Reef surf forecast from 6 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 7 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 8s period, SSE swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 13 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 17s period, S swell with 6,295 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 17s 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 Monday (Sep 07) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 17s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 11s. 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 3.5m 17s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 13) at 6AM. 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 Monday (Sep 07) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 1ft (0.3m) 17s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Blacks Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let's get into it. This is Rusty, and I've got the goods for you on Blacks Reef.
First off, we're looking at a bit of a slow start. The week kicks off on Monday, September 7th, with some tiny, weak swell and messy conditions. Not worth paddling out for. That 1ft swell from the south has a super long 16-second period, which for a reef like this would be interesting, but the cross-onshore wind and poor energy (91) just kill it. You'll want to wait for the afternoon, where it cleans right up with a glassy surface. The swell bumps to 4ft from the SSE, and the period drops to a short 6 seconds, but the combined energy is moderate at 198. It's surfable, but very ordinary.
Tuesday the 8th is a write-off. Strong onshore winds and a big, messy 12ft swell. That's too much power (1820 energy) for this spot, and the conditions are just poor. Wednesday the 9th isn't much better, with a clean sky but a cross-onshore wind messing up a 5ft SSE swell. We get a little window Thursday afternoon with some clean, cross-offshore winds on a tiny 2ft SE swell, but it's really not worth getting excited about.
Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th are dominated by onshore winds and a building swell. Friday sees an 8ft S swell with 810 energy, but the onshore wind makes it a messy close-out. Saturday is similar, with a big 8ft SSW swell and 560 energy in the morning. The afternoon shows a slight improvement, with the swell swinging more south and the period stretching to 9 seconds, pushing energy to 1412, but it's still blown out.
Now, hold onto your board, because Sunday, September 13th is the standout. The morning looks absolutely epic for the experienced crew. We're talking a massive 12ft S swell with a very long 16-second period and a massive 5486 combined energy. The wind is light and cross-onshore, but the report says wind and tide are favorable. This is a powerful, long-period groundswell hitting an exposed reef. It's going to be big, powerful, and perfect for experts only. Beginners, stay far, far away. This is a day for the charger, but the afternoon gets messy again as the wind swings onshore.
After that peak, we get a nice clean-up. Monday, September 14th afternoon is a gem for experienced surfers. A solid 7ft S swell with a 13-second period and 1555 energy, paired with a light cross-offshore breeze. That's clean, lined-up reef surf. Tuesday, September 15th is also a good day for all levels, with a smaller 4ft S swell, a 12-second period, and glassy to clean conditions in the morning and afternoon.
The rest of the week and into the next sees the swell drop right off. We get some tiny, clean waves in the mornings from Wednesday the 16th onward, but nothing that will get your heart pumping. The energy is weak, well under 200. There's a bit of a pulse of onshore wind and a 4ft S swell on Friday the 18th, but it's messy.
So, to sum it up: your best bet is the early morning of Sunday, September 13th for the experienced surfers looking for a serious, powerful groundswell session. For the more manageable, clean conditions, target the afternoon of Monday, September 14th. The rest of the window is mostly small and average.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 36mm), heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun night, min 9°C on Mon night). Mainly strong winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Thu night. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu afternoon, min 7°C on Sat morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Fri morning, calm by Sat afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 17 | SSW 16 | SSE 6 | SSE 8 | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SSW 14 | S 7 | S 8 | SSW 8 | SSW 7 | S 9 | S 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
147 | 51 | 84 | 2054 | 1815 | 1103 | 469 | 257 | 181 | 121 | 69 | 45 | 66 | 810 | 567 | 403 | 553 | 1145 | 5775 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-on | on | on | cross | on | on | cross |
High Tide | 1:15AM1.63m | 1:45PM1.73m | 2:15AM1.61m | 2:43PM1.74m | 3:14AM1.61m | 3:41PM1.74m | 4:12AM1.62m | 4:37PM1.75m | 5:08AM1.63m | 5:33PM1.75m | 6:03AM1.67m | 6:25PM1.75m | |||||||
Low Tide | 7:26AM0.19m | 8:07PM0.18m | 8:26AM0.16m | 9:05PM0.15m | 9:27AM0.13m | 10:02PM0.13m | 10:25AM0.11m | 10:59PM0.13m | 11:19AM0.11m | 11:53PM0.14m | 12:11PM0.13m | 00:45AM0.17m | |||||||
— | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | |
mm | — | 3 | 6 | 19 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 3 | — | 1 | 4 | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
Feels °C | 12 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 11 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 17 | SSW 10 | SSW 6 | NNE 6 | NNE 7 | E 16 | S 13 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | ENE 13 | S 18 | SSW 8 | SE 7 | S 16 | S 16 |
147 | 37 | 70 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 257 | 181 | 121 | 69 | 45 | 22 | 34 | 240 | 221 | 7 | 267 | 5775 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | NE 5 | NE 5 | N 9 | NE 16 | NE 16 | E 15 | SSW 9 | S 8 | S 8 | SSW 8 | S 8 | SSW 14 | ENE 9 | ENE 13 | SE 7 | ENE 13 | ENE 13 | ENE 13 |
2 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 25 | 36 | 35 | 22 | 12 | 66 | 8 | 35 | 27 | 17 | 17 | 16 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 16 | S 16 | E 16 | E 16 | E 16 | E 18 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | S 16 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | S 18 | — | N 11 | — |
— | 51 | 44 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 5 | 47 | 8 | 8 | 158 | — | 2 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 3 | SSW 3 | SSE 6 | SSE 8 | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SSW 6 | — | N 3 | WNW 2 | — | SW 3 | S 7 | S 8 | SSW 8 | SSW 7 | S 9 | — |
9 | 3 | 84 | 2054 | 1815 | 1103 | 469 | 49 | — | 2 | 1 | — | 2 | 810 | 567 | 403 | 553 | 1145 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 91 | 91 | 41 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 73 | 79 | 3 | 3 | 91 | 3 | 3 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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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.










