Piha-The Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks at Piha.

First up, the standout is this Sunday, the 12th of July. We’ve got a solid 7ft swell rolling in from the southwest, with a super long 16-second period. That’s proper groundswell energy, and with the combined energy hitting 2291 – that’s strong. The wind is a light cross-off from the ENE, so the lines are going to be clean. This is advanced territory, Piha-The-Bar is exposed and can throw a lot of power at you, so it’s for experienced surfers only. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual there. This is the best on offer, no question.

The same swell holds through Sunday afternoon, easing just a touch to 7ft but with glassy conditions. That’s a dream window.

Monday the 13th drops off to 5ft, with a cross-shore wind that’s not ideal. The energy drops to 963, which is moderate. It’s marginal, not worth chasing.

Tuesday the 14th sees a shift – a shorter period 8-second swell from the WNW, 7ft in the morning. The period is short, so it’s going to be a bit bumpy and unorganized, with cross-on wind. The energy is moderate at 981. Not great.

Wednesday the 15th has a monster 10ft swell in the afternoon, but it’s onshore from the WNW, and the forecast is for a risk of thunderstorms. The energy is huge at 4662, but the wind is trash. It’s a kite-surfing setup, not a paddle day.

Thursday the 16th still has 10ft in the morning with onshore wind, but by the afternoon the wind swings to the SW at 10 km/h, turning cross-shore. The swell drops to 8ft with a 15-second period, and the energy is strong at 3371. It’s marginal, but the afternoon session could be raw and powerful for the experienced crew.

Friday the 17th is a drop-off, 7ft with cross winds, but the energy is still moderate to strong. Not a standout.

Now, there’s a gap of a few days with nothing special. Saturday the 18th has strong 30 km/h cross-off wind, but it’s rough and the surf is a mess. Sunday the 19th is clean but not firing.

The next real opportunity comes a week later, on Monday the 20th of July. The swell builds back to 5ft from the SW with a 14-second period, but the wind is offshore from the SE at just 5 km/h. The energy is moderate at 1030, but it’s clean, and the forecast says excellent surf for experienced surfers. This is a promising second-week option.

Tuesday the 21st is a write-off, small and cross-on.

Then there’s a major gap. From Wednesday the 22nd through to Friday the 24th, the surf is poor, with onshore wind and drop in quality. The 22nd has 7ft from the SSW but with onshore wind and a short 10-second period, making it a mess. By Friday the 24th, the swell is down to 3ft with weak energy (231). Not worth paddling out.

But then, on Saturday the 25th of July, we get a real treat. The swell is 4ft and 5ft, but the period is a very long 20 seconds in the morning, easing to 19 seconds in the afternoon. The wind is glassy – dead calm – and the energy is strong at 2097 and 2857. This is a clean, long-period groundswell. At Piha-The-Bar, this long period can make the waves a bit straight at the beach breaks, but over the bar it’ll hold shape. This is the second standout of the outlook.

Sunday the 26th of July keeps it going with 8ft from the WSW, 16-second period, and cross-off ENE wind. The energy is strong at 3052, and it’s clean. Another excellent window for experienced surfers.

By Monday the 27th, the swell is still 7ft with a 17-second period, but the wind turns cross-shore from the NE, and the energy drops to 2491. It’s still good, but not the cream of the crop.

So, to sum it up: the best session is this Sunday the 12th of July, with the glassy Sunday afternoon a close second. The long-range winner is Saturday the 25th of July, with glassy conditions and a very long, powerful swell. Keep your eyes on that one.

Rusty.

Read more