Surf Forecasts:
Blacks Reef surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 17s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 12s period, S swell with 8,606 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 8s 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 Thursday (Aug 20) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 8s. 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 5.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 18ft (5.5m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Blacks Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get into it. The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag, but there are definitely some windows to keep an eye on.
First up, the water temp is sitting at 54°F, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want the thick rubber.
The start of this stretch is a write-off, to be honest. Monday the 17th through Wednesday the 19th are all poor, with stormy, onshore southerly winds and a lot of energy in the water – we’re talking strong to very strong energy readings of 3288, 1605, all the way up to 5995. It’s lumpy, messy, and not worth your time. The swell is solid, 13 to 15ft, but it’s wind-blown and chaotic. Hold off.
Thursday the 20th is still pretty average. The swell drops a bit to 8ft but it’s crossed up and choppy, so only a 2/10 call. We’ve got a long way to go before this cleans up.
Here’s the first real highlight: Friday the 21st. The wind swings around to a light cross-offshore from the northwest, and we get a long-period, 16-second south swell at 5-6ft. The energy is moderate at 1683 and 1342. This is the cleanest, best-shaped surf we’ve seen so far. It’s a proper groundswell, so it’ll be lining up nicely. For experienced surfers, this is your window. The conditions are clean and the sets will have some push.
The weekend goes flat and rubbish. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd see the swell fade to under 3ft, with cross-shore winds making it messy. Not worth paddling out.
Then things get interesting again early next week. Monday the 24th starts to pick up with a long-period (14-16 second) south swell, and by the afternoon we have 4ft of clean, cross-offshore surf. The energy is moderate at 531. Tuesday the 25th is even better, with 4-4ft of that long-period south swell, 18-19 second intervals, and light cross-offshore winds. The energy readings are 921 and 909. It’s clean and lined up. This is looking like a great couple of days. Keep your eye on it.
Wednesday the 26th is a bit more marginal, with a drop in period back to 10 seconds, but it’s still rideable. We get a bit more size at 5-5ft and some offshore wind in the morning.
Things get bigger and messier again later in the week. The 27th and 28th see a pulse of energy, but the wind is all over the place, and the conditions are either poor or marginal. The swell on the 28th gets up to 8-8ft, which is getting big, but the wind isn't cooperating.
But then we get what might be the pick of the bunch. Saturday the 29th of August. The wind goes light and cross-offshore in the morning, then glassy in the afternoon. We have a 6ft, 14-second south swell in the morning, easing to 5ft by the afternoon. The energy is moderate, at 1324 and 726. This looks like an excellent day for experienced surfers – clean, glassy, and with decent size. Mark it in the calendar.
After that, it fades fast. Sunday and Monday are tiny and unremarkable, and the energy just drops off a cliff. The last day of the month and into September is flat.
So, to sum it up: the standout days are Friday the 21st, and especially the run of Monday 24th to Tuesday 25th, with Saturday the 29th being the real gem if the long-range forecast holds.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 10°C on Tue morning, min 8°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the SSW on Tue night, light winds from the SW by Thu morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 7°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 9 | S 10 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 14 | S 13 | S 8 | S 8 | S 16 | S 15 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SE 13 | SE 12 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
1689 | 1507 | 858 | 3168 | 8514 | 5831 | 3643 | 2785 | 1890 | 647 | 354 | 1456 | 1089 | 392 | 280 | 205 | 146 | 73 | 42 | 40 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 9:21PM1.76m | 9:46AM1.75m | 10:10PM1.71m | 10:33AM1.72m | 10:59PM1.67m | 11:22AM1.67m | 11:48PM1.62m | 12:14PM1.62m | 00:35AM1.57m | 1:06PM1.58m | 1:22AM1.51m | 1:56PM1.54m | 2:10AM1.45m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:09PM0.20m | 3:39AM0.22m | 4:01PM0.28m | 4:27AM0.30m | 4:51PM0.34m | 5:15AM0.36m | 5:41PM0.40m | 6:03AM0.41m | 6:30PM0.44m | 6:49AM0.45m | 7:20PM0.47m | 7:35AM0.46m | 8:10PM0.48m | |||||||
— | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | |
5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | |
mm | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Feels °C | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -3 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 7 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | E 9 | SE 9 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 13 | SE 9 | S 14 | SE 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 16 | S 15 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SE 12 |
144 | 60 | 390 | 338 | 84 | 18 | 475 | 2785 | 205 | 513 | 354 | 1456 | 1089 | 392 | 280 | 205 | 146 | 73 | 31 | 40 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | — | ESE 15 | SE 14 | S 15 | SE 9 | ESE 13 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | SE 13 | S 9 |
200 | 106 | 45 | — | 23 | 47 | 1331 | 393 | 18 | 95 | 69 | 134 | 117 | 45 | 23 | 13 | 34 | 33 | 42 | 15 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 14 | — | — | S 13 | S 17 | ESE 11 | — | S 16 | E 14 | ESE 14 | SE 8 | NE 4 | S 17 | S 15 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | — | — | 209 | 209 | 176 | — | 119 | 4 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 17 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 9 | S 10 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | — | S 13 | S 8 | — | — | — | NW 3 | NW 3 | NW 3 | WNW 3 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | NW 4 |
1689 | 1507 | 858 | 3168 | 8514 | 5831 | 3643 | — | 1890 | 647 | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 41 | 10 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 259 | 91 | 75 | 91 | 286 | 169 | 91 | 82 | 73 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 10 | 3 | 33 | 44 | 14 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.











