Surf Forecasts:
Piha-The Bar surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 15s period, WSW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 15s period, WSW swell with 8,092 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 15s period with WSW 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 Monday (Aug 24) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 4.5m and 15s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-shore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Piha-The Bar in the next 16 days are 4.5m 15s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 7s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Mon 24th Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Mon 24th Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Mon 24th Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Piha-The Bar over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what the next couple of weeks are shaping up like for Piha-The-Bar. It’s a mixed bag, but there are a couple of windows that will get the heart pumping.
First up, let’s talk about the water. It’s sitting right around the average for this time of year, so nothing wild, just your standard winter wetsuit gear.
The start of the run is a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a few days of messy, onshore winds and choppy conditions, with wave energy low to moderate. Friday the 21st is a write-off with a cross-on breeze and a 6ft swell that’s just not clean. Saturday and Sunday are even worse, with strong winds and a sloppy, short-period swell that’s not worth paddling out for. A big spike in energy on Sunday the 23rd hits 12ft but it’s lumpy and blown out – definitely a day for the kite crew, not the paddle crew.
Things start to get interesting on Monday the 24th. We’ve got a massive 13ft to 15ft groundswell (15-second period) rolling in from the WSW. The energy is huge, reading 7284 to 7774 on the scale. This is proper expert territory – way too big for beginners. The wind is a moderate cross-shore, which keeps it a little lumpy, but there’s enough power here to make for a serious session for the experienced crew. The outlook says it might be too big for the break, but for those who know the Peak, it’ll be a beast.
The swell drops back through the 7-10ft range for the rest of the week, but the wind stays a bit rubbish, mostly cross-on or cross-shore with chop. We’ll call it a wash for the rest of the week.
Now, hold onto your boardies, because the real standout is the weekend of the 29th and 30th. Saturday morning the 29th is looking glassy with a 10ft SW swell. The wind is virtually nothing, just a slight air. That’s clean, powerful surf. Energy is still strong at 2924. This is the best of the run for sure. Then Sunday morning the 30th is even cleaner with a light offshore breeze from the SSE. The swell is 5ft but with a very long 18-second period, giving it some serious grunt. That’s a groundswell that will wrap in beautifully. Both mornings are calling for excellent conditions for experienced surfers.
The run then fades out into early September with some smaller, cleaner swells, but nothing to get too excited about. The Monday the 31st has a nice 5ft groundswell from the WSW with a cross-offshore breeze, so it’s a solid option for a quieter session. From there, it’s a slow fade with smaller, wind-affected surf.
So, the pick of the litter is Saturday morning the 29th for the glassy, powerful 10ft SW swell, and Sunday morning the 30th for the clean, long-period 5ft WSW groundswell. The 24th is a big wave day for experts only. Fair warning, this is all a bit far out, so keep an eye on the forecasts.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WSW on Thu night, fresh winds from the NW by Sun morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Mon morning, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | ||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | W 8 | W 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
1253 | 961 | 893 | 934 | 799 | 318 | 195 | 1029 | 2631 | 1194 | 7284 | 7774 | 5745 | 4585 | 3870 | 2446 | 2061 | 1922 | 1886 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | glassy |
High Tide | 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 | 8:20AM2.38m | 8:42PM2.60m | |||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 2:25PM0.47m | 2:52AM0.43m | ||||||
— | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
Feels °C | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 7 | WSW 19 | WSW 17 | WSW 12 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 14 |
1253 | 961 | 893 | 934 | 799 | 318 | 137 | 146 | 321 | 1080 | 7284 | 7774 | 5745 | 4585 | 3870 | 2446 | 2061 | 1922 | 1886 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 16 | — | — | SSW 6 | WSW 13 | WSW 16 | WSW 17 | WSW 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 271 | — | — | 26 | 195 | 104 | 364 | 395 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | W 24 | WSW 19 | SW 20 | — | WSW 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | 11 | 142 | 97 | — | 84 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | NW 4 | W 8 | W 10 | WSW 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 18 | 24 | 28 | 1029 | 2631 | 1194 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 119 | 85 | 127 | 120 | 127 | 312 | 325 | 340 | 337 | 125 | 231 | 231 | 228 | 231 | 231 | 231 | 231 | 231 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Auckland | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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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.











