Surf Forecasts:
Blacks Reef surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 18 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 23s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 19s period, S swell with 5,557 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 23s 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 Saturday (Jul 18) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 23s period with a secondary swell of 1.4m and 14s. 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 3.0m 19s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 7s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 23s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 23s |
| 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
Alright, this is Rusty, checkin' out the next couple weeks around Blacks Reef.
The water temp is 55°F – that’s about 2°F colder than usual for this time of year, so don't skip the rubber.
We start off Saturday the 18th with some 5ft SE swell, 14-second period, and strong energy (1425) but the wind’s cross-shore and the conditions are lumpy. Not a day to write home about.
Sunday the 19th sees a jump – 7ft SE swell (18-second period) and energy up to 3284 – but it’s cross-onshore and bumpy. Pass.
Monday the 20th keeps pumping with 6–8ft sets at times, energy between 1974 and 4132, but again the wind’s not cooperating.
Then Tuesday the 21st afternoon hits – we’ve got 7ft S swell at 15 seconds, energy at 1933, and it’s glassy. Dead flat water, clean faces, powerful swell. That’s the best in the first week – no question.
Wednesday the 22nd morning is smaller (5ft, 12 seconds) but clean as a whistle – good for a relaxed session.
Then it goes flat and ugly. From Wednesday afternoon through the end of July – junk. Winds turn onshore, rain moves in, and swell disappears. That’s nearly a week of nothing.
We get a comeback on Monday the 28th. Morning sees 5ft SE swell, 12-second period, energy at 737, and offshore wind – clean, lined up, fun.
Wednesday the 29th morning is the big one for the second week – 8ft SE swell at 14 seconds, energy at 1873, and clean cross-offshore wind. Powerful, raw, and for the experienced crew. The afternoon's also solid – 7ft at 13 seconds (1557), still clean.
Thursday the 30th is decent – 5ft, clean offshore winds – but not at the same level.
Then we get slammed again from Friday the 31st through Sunday the 2nd of August – strong onshore winds, rain, poor conditions. A couple days push 7ft SE swell but the wind ruins it.
Sunday afternoon the 2nd has 3ft SE swell but it’s onshore. Not worth it.
Bottom line: Tuesday the 21st afternoon and Wednesday the 29th morning are your go days. Everything else is either blown out or flat.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 12°C on Sun morning, min 9°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Thu afternoon, min 7°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 14 | S 24 | S 20 | S 18 | S 17 | S 16 | S 15 | S 19 | S 18 | S 16 | S 15 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 13 | SSE 12 | S 10 | E 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 992 | 1344 | 4264 | 2796 | 2117 | 1452 | 1447 | 3791 | 4638 | 2594 | 1873 | 1006 | 572 | 400 | 181 | 130 | 70 | 85 | 46 | 35 | 71 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | on | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 8:58PM1.88m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:42PM0.06m | 3:21AM0.09m | 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 | ||||||||
 | |  | |  |  | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | |  | |
 | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — |
 | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:08 | — | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:10 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 |
Temp °C | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 11 |
Feels °C | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 14 | SE 14 | S 20 | S 18 | S 17 | S 16 | S 15 | S 19 | S 18 | S 16 | S 15 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | NE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 |
| kJ | 992 | 765 | 4264 | 2796 | 2117 | 1452 | 1447 | 3791 | 4638 | 2594 | 1873 | 1006 | 572 | 400 | 181 | 130 | 70 | 47 | 54 | 72 | 71 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | S 24 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | S 12 | ENE 6 | SSW 13 | S 13 | SSE 12 | S 10 | S 9 |
| kJ | 403 | 1344 | 637 | 488 | 363 | 244 | 169 | 167 | 103 | 97 | 60 | 57 | 29 | 28 | 112 | 13 | 55 | 85 | 46 | 35 | 28 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 20 | S 11 | — | — | — | — | S 19 | ESE 12 | — | — | — | — | — | E 4 | ENE 6 | SSW 13 | SE 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 |
| kJ | 30 | 248 | — | — | — | — | 358 | 174 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 6 | 57 | 30 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 10 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | SSW 4 | SSW 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 7 | — | WNW 2 | — | NNE 3 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 8 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 25 | — | 1 | — | 4 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 91 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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)
FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Blacks Reef surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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.
Nearest