Piha-The Bar Surf Break

Lat Long: 36.95° S 174.47° E

Piha-The Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 am 23 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Piha-The Bar sea temperature is
13.6°C
0.6° 

Piha-The Bar surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Piha-The Bar surf forecast from 22 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 13s period, WSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 15s period, WSW swell with 8,120 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 13s period with WSW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Piha-The Bar this week:

The surf forecast for Piha-The Bar over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Piha-The Bar in the next 16 days are 4.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6PM (Thu 27th Aug)5.5ft (1.7m) 13s
Best Surf 6PM (Thu 27th Aug)5.5ft (1.7m) 13s
Most Powerful12PM (Mon 24th Aug)13ft (4.0m) 15s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Piha-The Bar over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up at Piha. We’ve got a real mixed bag ahead, so let’s wade through it.

The forecast kicks off with a bit of a damp squib on Sunday, the 23rd of August. There’s a 8ft W swell, but it’s short period at 8 seconds and a fresh NW wind is blowing straight onshore. The combined wave energy is only moderate (905), and the water is sitting at 57°, which is right about average for this time of year. It’s messy, and I wouldn’t bother paddling out.

Monday the 24th sees a big jump in size. A solid 13ft swell from the WSW, with a long 14-second period, rolls in. The combined energy is strong (6896). The wind is SW, but it’s cross-shore, so there’s a chop on it. It’s a marginal call, but the morning is a 5/10 and the afternoon cleans up to a 6/10 with a gentle breeze. This is big, powerful stuff – over 8ft, so strictly for experts only. The long period means the waves will have plenty of energy, but on a beach break like Piha, it might be a bit straight and hard to handle. If you’re good enough, the afternoon is your window.

Tuesday the 25th is a step down in energy but the wind swings cross-onshore, making it choppy and ugly. The scores drop to a 2/10. The rest of the week through to the 30th is largely a write-off. The wind is either onshore or cross-onshore, with speeds picking up to a near gale by Sunday the 30th, blowing 31 mph. The swell is all over the shop, but the conditions are just poor. There’s a gap of several days here with no real recommendation.

Now, the standout window. It’s way out there, over a week away, so keep that in mind. On Thursday the 3rd of September, things get interesting. We’ve got a 13ft W swell, with a 12-second period, and the wind goes light and offshore from the S, turning cross-offshore. The morning is a 6/10, and the afternoon is a 7/10, with clean conditions. The combined energy is strong (5891). This is a true expert-only session again – 13ft is massive. But the offshore wind and clean face will make it a dream for those with the skills and the guts.

Then, on Saturday the 5th of September, we get another cracker. The morning is glassy, with a 7ft WSW swell and a long 15-second period. The combined energy is strong (2500). This one is still big, over 5ft, so it’s not for beginners, but it’s a much more manageable size than the 13ft monsters. The glassy conditions and clean lines will be a treat for experienced surfers. The afternoon picks up to 13ft again, but the wind goes cross-onshore, so stick to the morning if you can.

The best of the entire forecast is that Thursday the 3rd of September afternoon. The combination of a 13ft swell, the long 15-second period, and the clean cross-offshore wind is as good as it gets at Piha. It’s a world-class wave for the experts. The Saturday morning is the pick for the slightly less brave, offering a glassy, powerful swell that’s still serious.

As for the 7th and 8th of September, the wind picks up again and the quality drops right off, so the window is narrow. Make the most of those two sessions.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Sun afternoon, light winds from the WSW by Mon night).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu morning, min 12°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light.

Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
Friday
28
Saturday
29
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
5
5
6
5
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
2
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.3
W
8
3
W
9
3.5
WSW
12
4
WSW
14
4
WSW
15
4
WSW
15
3
WSW
15
3
WSW
15
2.5
WSW
14
2.5
WSW
14
2.5
WSW
14
2.5
WSW
14
2.1
WSW
13
1.9
WSW
13
1.9
WSW
12
1.9
NW
8
2.5
WNW
10
1.3
WSW
13
1.9
WSW
12
1.9
WSW
11
1.1
WSW
19
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
588
1776
3352
6896
7701
5906
4407
3745
2655
2546
2826
2212
1487
1152
1068
434
1163
528
967
885
922
Wind (km/h)
30
NW
35
WNW
20
SW
20
SW
15
SW
15
WSW
15
WSW
20
WSW
15
WSW
10
WSW
15
WNW
15
NW
15
NNW
10
W
15
NNE
25
N
25
NNW
10
NW
25
WNW
35
W
25
WNW
Wind State
on
on
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
6:19PM2.13m
6:44AM2.08m
7:17PM2.27m
7:37AM2.23m
8:03PM2.43m
8:20AM2.38m
8:42PM2.60m
8:58AM2.53m
9:17PM2.74m
9:34AM2.65m
9:51PM2.85m
10:08AM2.74m
10:24PM2.91m
Low Tide
11:51AM0.89m
00:34AM0.91m
12:54PM0.78m
1:30AM0.77m
1:44PM0.63m
2:14AM0.60m
2:25PM0.47m
2:52AM0.43m
3:03PM0.33m
3:28AM0.27m
3:38PM0.21m
4:03AM0.15m
4:14PM0.14m
part cloud
rain showers
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
light rain
light rain
cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:56
6:54
6:52
6:52
6:50
6:48
6:48
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:53
5:53
5:54
5:55
5:57
5:58
5:58
 mm
2
1
2
2
Temp °C
15
14
14
14
13
13
13
13
13
14
14
14
16
16
14
15
14
14
14
14
13
Feels °C
9
8
9
10
9
10
10
9
10
12
12
12
13
13
12
10
10
11
9
7
7
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Piha-The Bar Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Piha-The Bar provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Piha-The Bar can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Piha-The Bar 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 (Piha-The Bar) 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 Piha-The Bar 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.

Piha-The Bar is 12 km (7 miles) from the city of Auckland. If you plan a holiday in Auckland, look for hotels and other accommodation in Auckland. Auckland has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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