Piha-The Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mate, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s brewing for the next couple of weeks.

There’s a bit of a quiet start, but once the juice turns on, it’s a proper show. The first real session is on Saturday, 1st of August, at Piha-The-Bar. The water’s about 57°, which is pretty standard for the season, so you’ll be fine in your usual rubber.

Saturday morning, 1st of August, is the highlight. A big 12 ft swell from the WSW, with a 13-second period, and it’s clean as a whistle thanks to a light east wind blowing cross-offshore. The combined wave energy is pumping at 4595 (moderate). This is over 8 ft, so it’s for the experienced crew only. That afternoon, the wind swings to the SE and goes offshore, keeping it glassy with the same solid 12 ft swell. This is the best of the whole forecast.

Sunday, 2nd of August, the swell drops to 7 ft from the SW, but it’s still clean with a light SSE cross-off breeze. Good for strong intermediates, but the real magic is behind us.

Monday, 3rd of August, sees 5 ft to 6 ft from the SW, but it’s a long-period 19-second groundswell. The energy is good (2394, moderate), but the cross-shore wind will put a bit of bump on it. Not the cleanest, but that long period works well at a point like Piha.

Tuesday, 4th of August, brings another big one: 10 ft from the SW. The morning’s a bit messy with cross-shore wind, but the afternoon cleans up beautifully with a SSW cross-off breeze. That afternoon is a solid go for the experts.

Wednesday, 5th of August, is a gem. The swell is 7 ft from the SW in the morning, clean with a light ENE cross-off. Then the afternoon drops to 6 ft, but the wind goes glassy – dead flat. That’s as good as it gets for perfect, lined-up waves. The energy is moderate (1388).

After this, things get smaller and flaky. Thursday, 6th of August, has 4 ft swell, and it fades out. From Friday, 7th of August, through to Wednesday, 12th of August, there’s a long stretch of poor to marginal surf. The wind is mostly cross-shore or cross-onshore, and the swell is weak or short-period. Not worth the paddle.

Then there’s a distant hope on Thursday, 13th of August, with a 13 ft pulse from the WSW, but the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, making it a messy, heavy beast. Only for the fearless.

The real second-week option is Friday, 14th of August. A 8 ft swell from the WSW, with a light SSW cross-off breeze early in the morning, giving clean conditions. The energy is solid (2000, moderate). A solid pick for those who can handle it.

Saturday, 15th of August, has another 12 ft pulse from the WNW, but the wind is cross-off again, so it’s clean but heavy. Expert territory.

So, the standout is Saturday, 1st of August, both morning and afternoon. The runner-up is Wednesday, 5th of August, for that glassy afternoon session. The rest is a pick-and-choose, but those two are the ones you mark on the calendar.

Rusty.

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