Surf Forecasts:
Piha-The Bar surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, SW swell with 4,169 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period with SW 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 Wednesday (Aug 19) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 16s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Piha-The Bar in the next 16 days are 3.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Piha-The Bar over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let me break it down for you.
First up, it’s been a bit flat and messy, but the good news is we’ve got some serious swell on the horizon. The forecast is looking a bit like a slow burn, starting with some solid but tricky sessions before we get to the real standouts. The water temperature is sitting about 57°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The first real chance to get wet is from Wednesday morning the 19th of August. It’s not going to be perfect, but there’s a solid 7ft SW groundswell pushing in with a long 11-second period. The combined energy is strong at 2130, so there’s plenty of power. The wind is a cross-off from the SSE at 19 mph, which keeps things clean but a bit tricky. It’s definitely an advanced only affair at Piha-The-Bar. The swell is a bit too big for beginners, and the crowd factor is sometimes an issue here, so keep your head on a swivel.
Thursday the 20th of August looks cleaner. The swell drops slightly to 8ft in the morning, still from the SW, but the period stretches to 14 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. The wind is light from the SSE at 6 mph, making for a clean morning session. The combined energy is still pumping at 2265. This is excellent for experienced surfers. The afternoon sees a bit more wind from the SSW, but it’s still a solid 7ft and very clean.
Now, things get a bit average from Friday the 21st through to the middle of the following week. The wind turns onshore or cross-onshore, the swell drops, and the quality tanks. From Friday morning through to Saturday the 29th, it’s mostly a write-off – onshore winds, lumpy conditions, and poor surf quality. There’s a bit of a window on Monday the 24th afternoon with a 10ft SW swell and a huge 16-second period, but the wind is cross-shore, so it’s a bit chopped. The energy is massive at 5081, but the conditions are only marginal.
The real standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is shaping up for Sunday the 30th of August. The morning brings a 4ft WSW groundswell with an incredibly long 18-second period. The combined energy is still strong at 1965, and the wind is a light cross-off from the ENE at 9 mph. That’s clean, lined-up waves. This is excellent for experienced surfers, and it’s a great pick for a long, smooth paddle out.
But the absolute best of the bunch? That’s Thursday the 3rd of September. Mark it. The morning is looking glassy – dead calm, with a light ESE breeze at 3 mph. The swell is a solid 12ft from the SW with a very long 16-second period. The combined energy is off the charts at 5947. This is exceptional surf, but it’s for experts only. The swell is big, and the period is so long it’ll be breaking straight at the beach, so it’s really a reef or point wave kind of day. The afternoon is still good, but the wind swings a bit cross-shore. This is the one to aim for.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Fri morning, min 9°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Wed morning, calm by Wed night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Sat morning, min 12°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Sun morning, light winds from the WSW by Mon night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WNW 7 | W 8 | W 9 | WSW 18 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1001 | 1619 | 3237 | 2265 | 1598 | 1144 | 961 | 833 | 934 | 838 | 318 | 342 | 916 | 1232 | 428 | 1586 | 3822 | 3714 | 3095 | 2866 | 1973 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:51PM2.40m | 2:08AM2.30m | 2:41PM2.23m | 3:02AM2.12m | 3:45PM2.11m | 4:12AM2.00m | 5:03PM2.07m | 5:34AM1.99m | 6:19PM2.13m | 6:44AM2.08m | 7:17PM2.27m | 7:37AM2.23m | 8:03PM2.43m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:08PM0.67m | 8:31AM0.67m | 9:01PM0.85m | 9:28AM0.83m | 10:08PM0.97m | 10:37AM0.91m | 11:24PM0.99m | 11:51AM0.89m | 00:34AM0.91m | 12:54PM0.78m | 1:30AM0.77m | 1:44PM0.63m | 2:14AM0.60m | ||||||||
7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | |
— | 5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 2 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 16 | WSW 17 | W 8 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 |
1001 | 1619 | 3237 | 2265 | 1598 | 1144 | 961 | 833 | 934 | 838 | 318 | 195 | 103 | 437 | 428 | 1586 | 3822 | 3714 | 3095 | 2866 | 1973 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 14 | WSW 16 | — | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | — | — | W 24 | WSW 19 | WSW 19 | WSW 17 | WSW 15 | W 8 | WNW 8 | — | — | — | SW 21 |
447 | 726 | — | — | — | — | — | 271 | — | — | 11 | 140 | 146 | 437 | 339 | 286 | 75 | — | — | — | 18 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 12 | WSW 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
327 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 37 | 399 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | S 6 | — | — | — | — | WSW 3 | — | — | WSW 6 | W 5 | WNW 7 | W 8 | W 9 | — | W 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
314 | 148 | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 53 | 110 | 342 | 916 | 1232 | — | 198 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 153 | 153 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 85 | 85 | 120 | 85 | 127 | 339 | 195 | 340 | 129 | 119 | 121 | 231 | 7 | 231 | 231 | 231 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Auckland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











