Happy Jacks surf break

Happy Jacks surfForecast / Gisborne and Mahia / New Zealand

information circle12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 6 pm Monday 19 Jan 2026 NZDT
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Happy Jacks surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Happy Jacks sea temperature is
20.3° C
(Which is 1.5°C warmer than normal for this time of year)


Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Happy Jacks this week:

The surf forecast for Happy Jacks over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Jan 23) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 1.7m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Happy Jacks in the next 12 days are 5.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jan 22) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 9s period and expected on Saturday (Jan 24) at 7PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Fri 23rd Jan)10ft (3.0m) 11s
Best Surf 1AM (Fri 23rd Jan)10ft (3.0m) 11s
Most Powerful 4PM (Thu 22nd Jan)16ft (5.0m) 11s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Happy Jacks over the next 12 days.

Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast Heavy rain (total 46mm), heaviest during Thu morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed morning, min 17°C on Mon afternoon). Winds increasing (moderate winds from the ESE on Mon night, near gales from the NE by Thu morning).

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Heavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon. Warm (max 23°C on Fri morning, min 11°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NE on Thu afternoon, calm by Fri morning).

Mon
19
Tuesday
20
Wednesday
21
Thursday
22
Friday
23
Saturday
24
Sunday
25
PMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAM
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
4
2
1
0
0
3
1
1
2
3
Swell
Height Map
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
2.3
ESE
2.1
ESE
2.1
ESE
2
ESE
1.8
E
1.7
E
1
S
2.2
ENE
4.5
ENE
5
ENE
3
E
2.2
E
2.4
ENE
1.5
E
1.2
E
1
E
1.5
S
1.1
S
1
S
0.9
S
1
S
Period(s) (?)8877771479111110109991012131312
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy kJ (?)5904814824143583104294712963587817939861055367234162434336311253282
Wind
(km/h)
25
ESE
20
ESE
25
ESE
25
E
25
E
25
ENE
30
NE
35
NE
55
NE
50
NE
10
WSW
0
W
15
ENE
25
SSW
30
SW
20
SSW
20
WSW
25
NW
35
WNW
10
N
10
WSW
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
cross-
on
cross-
on
onononcross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
offglassoncross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
offcross-
off
cross-
off
crossoff
High Tide
/ height (m)
7:11PM
1.45
7:38AM
1.59
8:00PM
1.46
8:23AM
1.60
8:48PM
1.49
9:08AM
1.62
9:33PM
1.53
9:54AM
1.64
10:17PM
1.57
10:41AM
1.66
11:01PM
1.61
11:29AM
1.67
11:48PM
1.65
12:18PM
1.69
Low Tide
/ height (m)
1:20AM
0.35
1:55PM
0.34
2:03AM
0.31
2:41PM
0.28
2:48AM
0.27
3:27PM
0.25
3:35AM
0.25
4:11PM
0.23
4:24AM
0.25
4:57PM
0.23
5:13AM
0.25
5:44PM
0.23
6:05AM
0.27
Mon
19
Tuesday
20
Wednesday
21
Thursday
22
Friday
23
Saturday
24
Sunday
25
Sunrise--6:03--6:05--6:05--6:07--6:07--6:09--6:11
Sunset8:32--8:32--8:31--8:31--8:30--8:30--8:30--
rain showers
light rain
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
light rain
mod rain
heavy rain
heavy rain
rain showers
clear
part cloud
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
light rain
rain showers
clear
Rain (mm)
22----11031152--3----48-
Temp. °C181717181819191818202023222015161316171418
Feels °C (?)141312141414151410162023212181299101115
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder

Latest Updates

submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Happy Jacks:

join our community of surf reporters

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 Happy Jacks 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 Happy Jacks Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Happy Jacks provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 12 days. A general guide to surfing at Happy Jacks can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Happy Jacks 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 (Happy Jacks) 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 Happy Jacks 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.

Happy Jacks is 39 km (24 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 locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest