
Surf Forecasts:
Blacks Reef surf forecast from 31 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 4 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 15s period, S swell with onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 4 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 15s period, S swell with 7,059 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 2 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 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 2.2m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 15s. 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 15s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 04) 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 0.8m 4s period and expected on Friday (Jul 31) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 3PM (Tue 4th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Tue 4th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Blacks Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here, looking at the surf ahead for Blacks Reef. We're in for a bit of a mixed bag, with some wild ups and downs, so you'll need to pick your moments.
The pattern starts off pretty grim and stays that way for a decent stretch. From Friday the 31st right through to Sunday the 3rd of August, the conditions are a write-off – messy winds, poor surf quality, or just not worth the paddle out. We've got a massive pulse of energy showing up on Saturday the 1st with a combined swell energy of (1539), but the wind is howling straight onshore at 22 mph with rain, making it a total mess. By Sunday the 2nd, the swell is still solid at 10 ft from the S, but the wind is still cross-onshore, so it's going to be choppy. There is some moderate wave energy from a 10 second period on the 3rd (494) but the winds are no good. So, expect a quiet, frustrating start.
Now, things get a bit wild toward the middle of the week. On Tuesday, August 5th, we see a huge jump in ocean energy as the afternoon session looks at a 13 ft swell from the S with a very long period of 15 seconds and the combined energy goes through the roof at (7059). However, the wind is still onshore. Wednesday the 5th and Thursday the 6th continue that trend with big solid S swells (10 ft and 7 ft) but persistent onshore and cross-onshore winds. Even though there's plenty of size, the quality is still marginal.
The true standout for the whole outlook, and the one to circle on your calendar, is Friday the 7th of August. For the morning session, the wind goes totally glassy – dead calm – and we get a clean 4 ft swell from the SSE with a 10 second period. The combined energy sits nicely at (361). It’s a classic reef setup with offshore conditions. The water temp is running about 55°F, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year. This is your window for some genuinely clean, fun waves before the crowds pile in – and this spot can get crowded.
The second week gets quieter again but with a few more clean windows. Around Saturday the 8th of August, we get some cleaner conditions as the wind turns offshore from the N and NE, but the swell drops right back to under 3 ft with a long period (15 seconds), giving a combined energy of (432). It'll be clean but small. Then, around Friday the 14th of August, we get another promising morning with glassy conditions and a solid 6 ft E swell with 11 second period. The combined energy is (781) and the forecast suggests good quality. That's a solid pick for a long-range hopeful. After that, the weekend of the 15th looks clean but small and fading.
So, bottom line: suffer through the early junk, make a beeline for Friday the 7th morning for the best all-round conditions. If you can wait, Friday the 14th morning also looks promising.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri morning, min 6°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Sat afternoon, calm by Sun afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon afternoon, min 5°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Mon night, light winds from the W by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SSW 9 | S 11 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 12 | S 14 | S 15 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
190 | 154 | 103 | 1374 | 3725 | 3785 | 2143 | 1265 | 748 | 458 | 327 | 774 | 3009 | 7059 | 4432 | 2565 | 3663 | 2041 | 1347 | 898 | 606 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:06PM1.57m | 7:30AM1.47m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:47PM0.33m | 1:23AM0.32m | 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 | ||||||||
7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | |
— | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 6 |
Feels °C | 10 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 3 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SE 16 | E 17 | E 16 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 12 | E 12 | S 15 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 |
190 | 154 | 103 | 121 | 6 | 5 | 2143 | 1265 | 748 | 458 | 327 | 482 | 3 | 7059 | 4432 | 2565 | 3663 | 2041 | 1347 | 898 | 606 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 5 | NE 6 | SW 4 | ESE 11 | E 11 | E 10 | E 16 | SSE 14 | ENE 14 | S 22 | S 20 | SSE 10 | — | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | S 18 | NE 11 | ESE 16 | SE 15 | SSE 11 | SE 14 |
32 | 13 | 5 | 38 | 21 | 8 | 5 | 213 | 21 | 36 | 68 | 80 | — | 14 | 14 | 606 | 5 | 26 | 37 | 352 | 54 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SE 15 | SE 15 | E 17 | ENE 17 | ENE 16 | ENE 16 | E 15 | S 19 | ENE 13 | ENE 13 | S 18 | — | — | — | — | — | NE 11 | E 18 | SE 14 | NE 10 |
47 | 37 | 60 | 6 | 29 | 25 | 24 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 17 | 99 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 6 | 52 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 6 | WNW 3 | WNW 4 | SSW 9 | S 11 | S 13 | — | — | — | NW 3 | W 3 | SSW 12 | S 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 3 |
100 | 3 | 11 | 1374 | 3725 | 3785 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 774 | 3009 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 33 | 9 | 3 | 114 | 114 | 62 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 79 | 9 | 89 | 73 | 89 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 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.











