Piha-The Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s coming up for Piha. There's a real mixed bag on the cards, with some proper heavy water early on, then a long quiet spell, before things start to look interesting again.

The forecast kicks off with a pulse of serious size. Wednesday the 8th of July has a 8ft SW swell rolling in with a cross-off wind. The water temp is 59° and about average for this time of year. The swell energy is strong (2525). That's a big heavy beach break and not for the faint-hearted.

Thursday the 9th is a write-off for paddling. We’re looking at a massive 15ft to 16ft plus swell with howling S winds. That’s just too much for Piha. I’d be looking at kites if I were you, because this is not a paddle situation.

Friday the 10th eases off. The morning has a 7ft WSW swell, but the period is a very long 18 seconds – classic groundswell. That long period at a beach break like Piha can make it a bit straight and fat. The wind is cross-off. The afternoon drops to a 10ft SW swell with a 17-second period and lighter winds. With that much power (5176) and clean conditions, this is for the experts only – it’s still big and testing.

Saturday the 11th is a quieter day. A 6ft WSW swell with offshore ESE wind in the morning, turning to a glassy, offshore 6ft SW swell in the afternoon. Clean conditions, but the swell is moderate. It’s good, but not the standout of the period.

Sunday the 12th starts clean with a 7ft WSW swell, but winds shift onshore on the arvo and it gets a bit messy. That’s the last decent run for a while because from Monday the 13th, for about four days, we hit a flat, poor patch with small, weak, crummy surf.

The action picks back up on Wednesday the 15th. A 7ft WSW swell rolls in, but the wind is cross-on and messy. It’s not worth the drive.

Now, the first real standout since the opening days comes on Thursday the 16th of July. That morning you get a solid 10ft WSW swell with a 16-second period, light off winds from the S, and excellent quality (4606). The afternoon is similar, just as clean. This is big, powerful groundswell handling beautifully. For expert surfers, this is your session.

Friday the 17th is another write-off due to onshore winds, and the next few days are marginal with moderate cross-off winds and swell around 5ft.

The turn-around comes on Monday the 20th. A 4ft WSW swell with clean, offshore SE wind. It’s small, but it will be clean and fun. Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd are even better. We get a 4 to 5ft WSW swell with 15-16 second period, clean off-shore or glassy winds. The water will be clean, the waves will have good shape and energy (1000 to 1300). For a reliable, user-friendly session, Wednesday the 22nd is your pick.

After that, Thursday the 23rd is a drop-off with small, long-period 2ft swells. It’s clean, but not worth paddling out for.

The standout for the period is Thursday the 16th for the experienced crew – that’s the big, clean, powerful day. For the rest of us, aim for Tuesday the 21st or Wednesday the 22nd for clean, manageable conditions.

Rusty.

Read more