Piha-The Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Piha-The-Bar has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

The short story? The first week is a write-off, and I mean a proper write-off. We’re staring down a solid week of no-go conditions, with only a whisper of something worth paddling out for on the horizon. The water temp is sitting right where it should be for this time of year, so no surprises there, just your usual chilly winter/spring mix.

The trouble kicks off right from Saturday the 22nd. We’ve got a 5ft WSW swell, but with a 12 mph WNW cross-onshore breeze, it’s choppy and messy. The combined swell energy is weak, sitting at 759, and it just looks ugly. That same theme carries through Sunday the 23rd, with an 8ft W swell and a howling 19 mph onshore wind – that’s a hard pass for paddle surfing. By Monday the 24th, the swell jumps to 15ft from the WSW, and while the wind eases a bit, this is strictly for big-wave experts only. The combined energy is absolutely thumping at 8427, but with a cross-shore chop, it’s more of a washing machine than a wave face. Tuesday the 25th through Thursday the 27th stays in the 7ft to 12ft range, but the wind never lets up, keeping things rough and unappealing.

Then, finally, on Friday the 28th of August, we get a little glimmer. The morning shows a drop to 5ft from the WSW, and the wind goes glassy from the NNW. That’s the kind of stillness that makes a surfer’s heart skip a beat. The combined energy is 837, so it’s not a powerhouse, but for a quick session on a small wave board, this is our first real chance. Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th are a mixed bag, but Sunday morning the 30th is a real standout: 5ft from the WSW with glassy conditions again. The combined energy is 2365, so there’s some grunt in the water, and it’s described as excellent for experienced surfers. That’s the session to circle on your calendar, but remember, this is a long-range call, so keep your fingers crossed.

The second week is a tale of two halves. Monday the 31st through Wednesday the 2nd of September is dominated by big, windy, messy surf. We’re talking 13ft to 18ft swells with strong onshore winds – not for the faint of heart. The energy readings are off the charts, like 14193 on Tuesday the 1st of September, but it’s all noise and no quality. However, the real payoff looks to be on Friday the 4th of September. The afternoon session is predicted to be exceptional for experts: an 12ft WSW groundswell (period 14 seconds) with a light cross-offshore breeze from the SSW. The combined energy is a massive 8338, and the wind is clean. That’s the kind of day that makes all the waiting worthwhile. Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th are still big and powerful, but the wind turns onshore again, so the Friday window is the one.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a total loss. The standout sessions are the glassy mornings on Friday the 28th of August and Sunday the 30th of August for smaller, cleaner waves, and then the big, expert-only session on Friday afternoon the 4th of September. That Friday is the one with the most potential for a proper, memorable session.

Rusty.

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