Piha-The Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. We’ve got a wild ride ahead for Piha-The-Bar (New Zealand) over the next couple of weeks. The opening few days are a write-off, but hang tight, because there’s some serious juice on the horizon for those who know their way around a heavy barrel.

The first day of the forecast, Monday the 6th, is a total loss. We’re looking at a messy 8ft to 15ft cross-onshore slop with a strong wind – 19 mph from the NNE, kicking up a lumpy, choppy mess. The combined swell energy is pumping (4111 on the morning, jumping to a massive 10452 in the arvo), but it’s all for nothing with that wind. Don’t even bother.

Things only start to look up on Tuesday the 7th. The morning shows a shift to a 16 mph ESE offshore wind, with a solid 10ft WSW groundswell at a long 16 seconds. The combined energy is a hefty 5047. This is a big, powerful swell for experts only – that size and period at Piha-The-Bar will be a beast. The afternoon cleans up to a cross-off, but the wind picks up slightly.

Wednesday the 8th and Thursday the 9th offer cleaner conditions with a dropping swell, hovering around 8ft to 10ft from the SW. The wind stays offshore or cross-off, with a gentle breeze. Thursday afternoon looks prime with clear skies, a 8ft SW swell at 12 seconds, and clean conditions. The energy is strong (3836), and it’s a solid call for experienced surfers.

Friday the 10th is the first real standout. The afternoon session is firing – a 10ft SW swell, but the period stretches to a very long 17 seconds, and the combined energy rockets to 9125. The wind is a gentle offshore from the S, keeping it clean. This is a massive, long-period groundswell that will wrap beautifully into Piha’s points and reef, offering some serious power and long walls. It’s an expert’s playground.

Saturday the 11th through Monday the 13th see the swell ease slightly, but it remains consistently good. Saturday morning has a 6ft SW swell at 15 seconds with a gentle offshore from the SE. Sunday the 12th has clean 7ft to 6ft SW/WSW swell with a light breeze. But Monday the 13th is a little gem – glassy conditions all day, with a light 5ft to 5ft WSW swell. The wind is dead calm or just a 3 mph breeze from the ENE. It’s a rare, glassy day for a spot that can get hammered by wind. The combined swell energy is lower (947), but the quality will be through the roof. Crowds are sometimes a factor here, and on a day like that, you can bet the local crew will be out.

From Tuesday the 14th through Thursday the 16th, we hit a lull. Swell drops to 3ft to 4ft, and winds go onshore or cross-shore with rain and even a risk of thunderstorms. Not worth paddling out.

However, the back half of the forecast – Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th – roars back to life. Friday sees a 10ft SW swell at 16 seconds, but the wind is cross-off and clean. The real highlight is Saturday the 18th. The morning shows a 13ft WSW swell at 15 seconds, with a clean cross-off breeze from the east. The combined energy is a massive 6116. This is a serious, expert-only swell. It’s big, powerful, and will be breaking with authority. The afternoon sees it drop to 12ft, still excellent. This is the true standout of the whole forecast period for the big wave crew.

The final days from Sunday the 19th to Tuesday the 21st offer a more manageable 6ft to 8ft SW swell, with clean cross-off winds despite some rain. It’s not the epic of Friday and Saturday, but it’s still fun, clean surf for experienced surfers to finish the run.

So, plan your week around Friday the 10th afternoon and that glassy Monday the 13th, but do not miss Saturday the 18th if you’re an expert looking for some of the biggest, cleanest swell of the season. The water temp is 59°, which is about average for this time of year, so a good 4/3 wetsuit is the go.

Rusty.

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