Surf Forecasts:
Happy Jacks surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 12s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 12s period, S swell with 7,199 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 12s period with SSE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Happy Jacks this week:
The surf forecast for Happy Jacks over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 4.5m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Happy Jacks in the next 16 days are 5.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 14s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 20) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 16ft (5.0m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Happy Jacks over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 10°C on Tue morning, min 8°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the SSW on Tue night, moderate winds from the SW by Thu morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 8°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 12 | SSE 12 | S 12 | S 14 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 16 | S 15 | S 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SSE 10 | ESE 12 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1535 | 1406 | 996 | 2813 | 6928 | 5168 | 3092 | 2557 | 477 | 471 | 290 | 1305 | 984 | 490 | 236 | 173 | 116 | 77 | 33 | 31 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 9:21PM1.76m | 9:46AM1.75m | 10:10PM1.71m | 10:33AM1.72m | 10:59PM1.67m | 11:22AM1.67m | 11:48PM1.62m | 12:14PM1.62m | 00:35AM1.57m | 1:06PM1.58m | 1:22AM1.51m | 1:56PM1.54m | 2:10AM1.45m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:09PM0.20m | 3:39AM0.22m | 4:01PM0.28m | 4:27AM0.30m | 4:51PM0.34m | 5:15AM0.36m | 5:41PM0.40m | 6:03AM0.41m | 6:30PM0.44m | 6:49AM0.45m | 7:20PM0.47m | 7:35AM0.46m | 8:10PM0.48m | |||||||
 |  | | |  | |  | | | |  |  | | | | | | |  | | |
 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — |
 | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — |
mm | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 16 |
Feels °C | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | -4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 11 | — | SE 14 | ESE 9 | S 14 | ESE 9 | SE 8 | S 9 | S 16 | S 15 | S 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SSE 10 | ESE 12 |
| kJ | 284 | 110 | 60 | 9 | — | 49 | 459 | 2557 | 228 | 60 | 290 | 1305 | 984 | 490 | 236 | 173 | 116 | 77 | 33 | 31 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | N 11 | S 14 | — | — | — | SE 14 | ESE 9 | S 13 | S 13 | ESE 8 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | SSE 9 |
| kJ | 270 | 2 | 92 | — | — | — | 29 | 469 | 423 | 163 | 105 | 161 | 114 | 55 | 35 | 18 | 30 | 33 | 32 | 17 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 14 | — | — | E 8 | S 12 | — | — | — | E 14 | E 14 | NNE 4 | NNE 3 | — | S 15 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | — | — | 49 | 110 | — | — | — | 4 | 14 | 1 | 1 | — | 17 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 12 | SSE 12 | S 12 | SSW 14 | S 8 | S 9 | — | — | — | NW 3 | — | NW 3 | NW 3 | NW 3 | WNW 3 | NW 3 |
| kJ | 1535 | 1406 | 996 | 2813 | 6928 | 5168 | 3092 | 3912 | 477 | 471 | — | — | — | 3 | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 4 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 150 | 86 | 104 | 318 | 161 | 102 | 93 | 32 | 62 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 24 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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 16 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.
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