Blacks Reef Surf Break

Lat Long: 39.07° S 177.80° E

Blacks Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 am 19 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Blacks Reef sea temperature is
12.8° C
1.4° 

Blacks Reef surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Blacks Reef surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 21 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 14s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 19s period, S swell with 5,498 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 14s 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 Tuesday (Jul 21) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m 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 3.0m 19s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be 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 Thursday (Jul 23) at 6PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6PM (Tue 21st Jul)6ft (1.9m) 14s
Best Surf 6PM (Tue 21st Jul)6ft (1.9m) 14s
Most Powerful 9PM (Mon 20th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 19s

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


The Lowdown

G'day, Rusty here. Alright, let’s look at what’s shaping up over the next couple of weeks. We’ve got some solid swell coming, but you’ve gotta be patient and pick your spots. The water is sitting at 55°, which is a bit colder than usual for this time of year, so you’ll want a thicker wetsuit.

The first real action kicks off on Sunday the 19th of July. Blacks Reef is the only spot on the menu, and it’s a reliable reef break that’s exposed to the south. Sunday morning we’ve got a solid 7ft southerly groundswell with a very long 18-second period, pumping a ton of energy into the water (3284). It’s a big one, but the wind is light and cross-onshore, so it’s gonna be a little bumpy. Still, for a bigger wave, it’s a decent start. That afternoon, the wind swings onshore and gets stronger, so it’s a write-off.

Monday the 20th sees the swell drop a bit to 6ft, but the period is still a nice 15 seconds. The wind is onshore again, though, so it’s messy. The afternoon picks up to 8ft with a 19-second period (4132 energy), which is huge, but again, the wind is onshore, making it a fight. Not the best.

Tuesday the 21st is similar – 8ft southerly groundswell, 16-second period, but the wind is light and cross-onshore, so it’s not clean. A bit frustrating.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Wednesday morning the 22nd of July, the swell drops to a more manageable 4ft, but the period is a solid 12 seconds. The key here is the wind – it’s glassy. Dead calm. That’s a major positive. The waves will be clean as a whistle, but it’s a bit smaller. The energy is moderate (540). It’s a good little session for the beginners, but it’s not the standout.

The real standout is looking like Friday the 31st of July. The morning session has a solid 10ft southerly groundswell with a 13-second period, and the energy is strong (3022). The wind is a light cross-offshore from the NNW, which is perfect for a reef break like this – it’s going to be clean and hollow. This is for experienced surfers only, as it’s over 8ft. The afternoon drops to 8ft, still clean, and still a good option for the crew who know what they’re doing. Crowds are likely here, so get out early.

The following Monday, the 3rd of August, also looks promising. Morning has a 7ft southerly swell with an 11-second period, and the wind is offshore from the north. That’s a solid, clean, expert-level wave. The energy is strong (1268). The afternoon is a bit smaller at 6ft, but still clean and a good option for the advanced crew.

Outside of those windows, there are a lot of days with poor conditions – strong winds, onshore slop, or just tiny waves. We’ve got a gap from the 22nd afternoon all the way through to the 30th with no real recommendations, so that’s a long stretch of flat or messy water. The 30th actually has a huge 12ft to 13ft southerly swell, but it’s being hammered by a fresh onshore wind, so that’s a total write-off – more of a kite-surfing day than a surfing day.

So, to sum it up: the best of the best is Friday the 31st of July – big, clean, and powerful. The 3rd of August is a solid backup. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or both. Keep your eyes on the forecast, but for now, that’s the call.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 13°C on Sun morning, min 8°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu afternoon, min 7°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed morning, fresh winds from the WNW by Fri night).

Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
0
1
2
3
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.1
S
18
1.8
S
17
1.7
S
16
1.8
S
15
2.3
S
19
2.5
S
18
2.3
S
16
2
S
15
1.6
S
13
1.3
S
12
1.1
S
12
1
S
12
0.9
S
13
0.5
S
12
0.4
SSE
11
0.4
S
10
0.5
E
8
1
SW
4
0.6
E
10
0.4
SE
16
2.5
SW
7
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
2796
1903
1452
1415
3791
4638
2594
1722
905
501
336
268
268
78
39
31
32
39
78
93
595
Wind (km/h)
10
W
20
SSW
15
S
10
SSW
15
S
10
S
10
WSW
5
SSE
10
NNW
5
NW
5
ESE
5
WNW
10
N
10
NE
15
NNW
15
N
20
N
25
WNW
25
WNW
25
NW
25
W
Wind State
cross-on
on
on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
glassy
glassy
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-on
High Tide
9:27AM1.75m
9:50PM1.81m
10:17AM1.72m
10:42PM1.74m
11:07AM1.68m
11:33PM1.68m
11:59AM1.65m
00:24AM1.62m
12:54PM1.62m
1:14AM1.58m
1:46PM1.61m
2:03AM1.55m
2:36PM1.59m
2:51AM1.51m
Low Tide
3:36PM0.13m
4:12AM0.14m
4:30PM0.21m
5:02AM0.20m
5:23PM0.29m
5:51AM0.28m
6:15PM0.36m
6:39AM0.36m
7:08PM0.42m
7:27AM0.42m
8:00PM0.47m
8:15AM0.47m
8:50PM0.50m
clear
part cloud
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
rain showers
clear
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:22
7:20
7:20
7:20
7:18
7:18
7:18
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:07
5:07
5:08
5:09
5:10
5:10
5:12
 mm
2
2
3
Temp °C
13
13
12
11
11
10
10
11
9
11
11
9
12
14
11
14
14
10
13
15
12
Feels °C
9
9
8
8
7
7
8
9
6
9
9
6
9
10
7
9
10
4
7
10
5
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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