
Surf Forecasts:
Blacks Reef surf forecast from 12 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 19 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 13 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 13s period, S swell with 2,223 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 14 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 12s 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 14) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 12s period. 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 2.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 13) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 7s period and expected on Friday (Sep 18) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Mon 14th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Sat 19th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Sun 13th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Blacks Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming our way over the next couple of weeks.
We’ve got one spot to focus on: Blacks Reef. It’s a reef break, exposed to the south swell, and it’s very consistent, which means it’ll be offering waves throughout the period. But it’s not all going to be magic. The water temp is sitting at 55°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – you’ll want a proper hood and gloves.
The first real glimmer of something good shows up on Monday the 14th. Monday morning is looking like a standout, with that sweet 7ft south swell at 12 seconds. The wind is glassy offshore from the NE, so it’s going to be clean and lined up. This is excellent for experienced surfers only, as that’s a proper size for a reef break. Monday afternoon stays clean too, with a light cross-off breeze, though the swell drops a touch to 6ft. The combined energy is strong (1316 on Monday morning), so there’s plenty of push.
Tuesday the 15th is still fun, with smaller 5ft swell and glassy conditions again in the morning, but the energy drops off quite a bit (480). It’s a nice, easy option for the intermediate crew.
The rest of that first week is pretty average – small, weak waves under 3ft, with only a few clean windows. We get a bit of a tease on Friday the 18th morning with a 4ft SE groundswell (13 seconds) and offshore wind from the NNE. That’ll be clean but still small. The combined energy is moderate at 449.
Now, here’s the big one to keep an eye on. On Saturday the 19th afternoon, the swell jumps up to a chunky 10ft from the south, but it’s short period at 8 seconds – that’s windswell, not a clean groundswell. The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’s going to be a bit of a mess. It’s rated as marginal. Not the one.
The next real highlight comes on Sunday the 20th morning. We’ve got a 6ft south swell, still short period at 8 seconds, but the wind is offshore from the north, light breeze. That’ll clean it up nicely. The combined energy is moderate to strong (739). That’s your best bet for a solid, clean session in the second week, but keep in mind the period is short so it might be a little fat.
After that, it gets gnarly. Monday the 22nd brings a stormy 13ft south swell with howling onshore winds (28-31 mph from the SW). That’s a no-go for paddle surfing – looks more like a kite-surfing set-up. The combined energy is huge (3188), but it’s blown out. That energy drops back on subsequent days, with long-period groundswells (16-17 seconds) coming through on the 23rd, but with strong onshore wind again, so it’s messy and not recommended.
The tail end of the forecast, from the 25th onward, is mostly junk – small, weak, and often onshore. We do get a tiny 1ft clean wave on the 28th from a 17-second groundswell, but it’s barely surfable.
So, to sum it up: Monday the 14th morning is the true standout – biggest clean swell of the window, glassy, and powerful. Sunday the 20th morning is the next best call, with clean offshore wind and a solid 6ft, even if it’s a bit short-period. Between the 15th and the 18th you’ll find small clean waves, but nothing to write home about. The 22nd and 23rd are for the kite crew only.
Stay safe out there, and don’t be shy with the wetsuit.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue morning, min 10°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Fri morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Wed afternoon, min 9°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 15 | S 14 | S 12 | S 12 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 15 | SE 13 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | S 8 | S 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2289 | 1553 | 1621 | 1311 | 1145 | 699 | 434 | 273 | 169 | 94 | 74 | 57 | 85 | 73 | 221 | 431 | 330 | 236 | 150 | 1132 | 1185 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | on | glassy | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:15PM1.74m | 7:45AM1.75m | 8:04PM1.73m | 8:30AM1.77m | 8:52PM1.71m | 9:14AM1.76m | 9:39PM1.68m | 9:58AM1.72m | 10:25PM1.64m | 10:45AM1.66m | 11:11PM1.59m | 11:34AM1.60m | 11:55PM1.52m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:02PM0.18m | 1:33AM0.22m | 1:52PM0.24m | 2:19AM0.27m | 2:43PM0.29m | 3:05AM0.33m | 3:31PM0.34m | 3:51AM0.39m | 4:19PM0.39m | 4:38AM0.42m | 5:05PM0.42m | 5:24AM0.45m | 5:53PM0.44m | ||||||||
6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | |
— | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 8 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 15 | ENE 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 15 | SE 13 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | S 15 |
2289 | 14 | 1621 | 1311 | 1145 | 699 | 434 | 273 | 169 | 94 | 74 | 57 | 85 | 73 | 221 | 431 | 330 | 236 | 150 | 121 | 212 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 12 | E 9 | ENE 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 13 | S 16 | S 16 | NE 5 | S 9 | SSW 9 | S 8 | S 8 | SSW 16 | SE 9 | SSW 11 | S 16 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 10 | NE 10 |
14 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 44 | 19 | 19 | 39 | 25 | 13 | 5 | 50 | 52 | 12 | 48 | 57 | 43 | 39 | 27 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | SE 11 | NE 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 10 | E 9 | SSW 16 | S 14 | ENE 4 | S 13 | SE 12 | S 14 | S 8 | SSW 13 | S 18 | SSW 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | — | NE 10 |
7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 48 | 16 | 2 | 14 | 23 | 16 | 5 | 35 | 6 | 10 | 50 | 77 | — | 57 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 3 | N 5 | — | — | — | WNW 2 | NE 4 | NE 3 | NE 3 | NE 6 | NW 2 | SW 4 | S 8 | S 9 |
— | 1553 | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 23 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 59 | 1 | 25 | 1132 | 1185 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 3 | 274 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 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.










