Piha-The Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s comin’ down the pipe for Piha. This is a classic West Coast setup, exposed and raw, so when it’s on, it’s on, but when it’s off, it’s a washing machine. We’ve got a proper 16-day window ahead, and it’s a tale of two very different halves.

First up, we have a window of opportunity on Monday, July 20th, and Tuesday, July 21st. That’s the sweet spot. On Monday morning, the wind goes glassy out of the WNW at just 3 mph, and we’ve got a solid 8 ft swell from the WSW. That’s a long-period groundswell at 14 seconds, so those waves are gonna have real push and shape. The combined swell energy is pumping at 2346 (moderate to strong). This is proper Piha, but that size (over 5 ft) means it’s for the experienced crew only. The water temp is sitting at 58°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there. Monday afternoon holds similar with 7 ft and glassy conditions again. Tuesday keeps it clean with offshore ESE winds in the morning, dropping the swell to 6 ft, and the energy is still decent at 1161. This is the best run of the whole forecast. The waves will be clean, well-shaped, and with that long period, you’ll get those nice lulls between sets to paddle out. Just keep an eye on the crowds, because Piha can get busy when it’s clean.

Then Wednesday the 22nd, the swell drops right off to 4 ft with a messy cross-shore wind, and the energy drops to 555 – it’s gonna be weak and junky. Thursday the 23rd morning looks glassy with a 5 ft swell, but it’s a short-lived window. The real problem kicks in from Friday the 24th onward. A huge storm swell is on the way, and it brings nasty wind.

From Friday the 24th right through the weekend and into the next week, it’s a write-off. The swell gets massive, hitting 12 ft, then 18 ft, and even 16 ft on the 27th. The combined energy readings go through the roof – 14264 (very strong) on the 26th of July – but the wind is howling from the WSW at 28 mph, creating a messy, lumpy, and dangerous cross-shore mess. The wave comment doesn’t hold back, calling it poor surf conditions. At that size with that wind, it’s more of a survival mission than a surf session. This looks way more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The second week, from the 28th of July through the 3rd of August, is a mixed bag of leftover swell (12 ft to 18 ft) but the wind continues to be a problem. The mornings on the 28th and 29th might have a little bit of form, but it’s cross-shore and lumpy. The energy is high (3622 on the 28th morning), but the quality is just not there. On the 2nd of August, the forecast even says the swell is predicted to be too big for the break. There’s nothing in this second week that’s worth paddling out for.

So, the bottom line: your best bet is Monday, July 20th, and Tuesday, July 21st. Get it while it’s clean. After that, it’s a long, angry gap until the chaos settles down, but that’s just Piha in winter sometimes.

Rusty

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