Piha-The Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for Piha. This is a stretch that’s going to be dominated by a big, powerful, and very long-period WSW swell, but it’s a tricky one. The swell is just straight-up too big for most of the window, especially for a powerful, exposed beach break like Piha. We’re looking at a solid run of huge surf, so don’t even think about it unless you’re an expert and you know this break inside out.

The first decent call comes on the morning of Tuesday the 8th. The swell has eased a bit to 10 ft from the WSW, with a period of 12 seconds, but the big news is the wind. It’s dead glassy, calm, with a southerly offshore. That’s going to make it clean as a whistle. The wave energy is still strong (2891), but it’s a much more manageable size than what’s coming. This is an actual window for experienced surfers to get some proper, clean Piha barrels. The water temp is sitting at 58°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

The surf drops off a touch on Wednesday the 9th morning, with a 5 ft WSW swell, glassy conditions again, but the energy is moderate (983). It’s a smaller, cleaner option, but nothing to write home about. The rest of the first week is a write-off for quality surfing, with increasing onshore winds and choppy conditions.

Now, the real story here is the second week. From Friday the 11th and right through to the end of the outlook, we’re looking at a massive pulse of near-20 ft to 26 ft groundswell from the WSW. The period is long, 16 to 19 seconds, and the combined energy readings are off the charts (14212 to 31225) – that’s serious, powerful ocean. The wind is often cross or cross-on, making it a messy, dangerous, and gigantic mess. For a beach break, this is going to be a washing machine. There are a few windows around the 18th and 19th of September where the wind goes clean, even glassy, but the swell is still at 20 ft to 26 ft. That’s extreme, expert-only territory, and even then, it’s a gamble. This setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. There’s a gap of several days in the middle of the second week where the size is so big it’s a no-go for anyone.

Overall, the standout is Tuesday morning the 8th. That’s your best bet for a clean, powerful, but doable session. The huge swell late in the period is a spectacle, but not a realistic option for most.

Rusty.

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