Piha-The Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, this is Rusty, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Piha. Let’s get into it.

We’ve got a solid run of surf coming up, starting this Saturday, 1 August, and it’s looking like a classic West Coast winter groundswell. The water temp is sitting at 57°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The big story is Saturday morning at Piha-The-Bar. We’re looking at a solid 12 ft swell out of the WSW, with a long 13-second period. That’s serious groundswell energy, and the combined energy is a massive 4595, which is absolutely pumping. The wind is light from the east, a cross-off breeze, so the faces will be clean and lined up. This is a heavy, expert-only wave at this size – over 8 ft, so it’s for the experienced crew who know the rip down there. The swell direction is right on the money for the bar, and it’s going to be a proper session for those who can handle it. Crowds are possible, but on a big Saturday morning like this, the risk is real. The afternoon holds up nicely too, with a clean offshore wind from the SE, still 12 ft, still cooking.

Sunday, 2 August drops a notch but stays very good. The morning is 7 ft from the SW with a 12-second period, and a clean cross-off breeze from the south. The energy is still strong at 1136. This is a much more manageable size for a strong intermediate, but the consistency is still good. Afternoon stays clean with 6 ft and a light breeze.

Monday, 3 August, things get hairy. The size is down to 5 ft, but the period jumps to 19 seconds – very long period groundswell, which is prone to standing up and breaking straight at a beach break like Piha. The wind is a messy cross-shore from the SW at 15 mph, creating a cross-chop. That’s a kite-surfing wind and wave setup, not a fun paddle session. I’d give it a miss.

Tuesday, 4 August, is still punchy with 7 ft, but the wind is onshore and messy. The afternoon cleans up with a cross-off breeze, but the quality is still just okay.

The real standout, after the initial blast, is Wednesday, 5 August. Morning is 7 ft from the SW, 14-second period, cross-off wind from the east at 6 mph. The combined energy is 2011, so there’s still plenty of power. Then the afternoon turns glassy. Dead calm, 6 ft, with a glassy surface. That’s as good as it gets for a mid-week session – clean, offshore wind, solid size. The swell is a touch big for beginners, but for any competent surfer, this is the day to call in sick.

The rest of the week drops off quickly. Thursday, 6 August, is small and clean but weak. Friday, 7 August, turns onshore and poor. The following weekend (8-9 August) is a write-off with onshore winds and short-period windswell.

Looking further out, the second week is pretty grim. The wind is relentless from the ENE, howling at 18-22 mph, which keeps the surface clean but the swell is confused and weak. There’s a pulse of size around 14-15 August, with 7 ft to 8 ft, but the wind is cross-onshore or onshore, and the periods are short, making for a choppy, lumpy mess. That’s more kite-surfing territory again. Not worth a paddle for the average surfer, unless you’re desperate for a wave and don’t mind the wind chop.

So, to wrap it up: The first half of the week is the real deal. Saturday, 1 August, is the big, heavy option for experts. Wednesday, 5 August, is the pick of the week for clean, glassy conditions with solid swell. After that, the window closes hard.

This is Rusty, signing off.

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