
Surf Forecasts:
Piha-The Bar surf forecast from 28 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 1 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 14s period, WSW swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 1 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 14s period, WSW swell with 8,255 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 28 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 12s 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 Tuesday (Jul 28) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 17s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Piha-The Bar in the next 16 days are 4.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 01) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 02) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Tue 28th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Sat 1st Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Sat 1st Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Piha-The Bar over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got the goods for Piha. Let’s get into it.
The swell’s been on the up-and-up, but the first few days are a bit of a mixed bag. Tuesday, the 28th of July, is your first real crack with clean, waist-high waves at 5 ft out of the WSW, a 12-second period, and a light cross-off breeze. The water’s sitting at 58°, which is about average for this time of year, and the combined energy is moderate (866). It’s a solid start, not a standout, but a nice way to ease in.
Wednesday the 29th holds similar, but the wind swings cross-on in the afternoon, making it a bit messy. By Thursday the 30th, the swell jumps to 7 ft with a 14-second period, but the onshore wind from the NW ruins the party—expect choppy, lumpy conditions. The combined energy is strong (1513), but it’s not worth the paddle.
Friday the 31st is a write-off. Fresh cross-onshore winds roaring at 19 mph, with swell up to 10 ft, but it’s lumpy, messy, and the combined energy hits 2695—all power, no style. The swell’s too big for beginners and the wind’s a nightmare.
Saturday the 1st of August is the big one, but it’s a warning, not a win. The swell is a massive 15 ft out of the WSW, with a 14-second period, and the combined energy is off the charts at 15483. The wind is moderate cross-shore, but the size is overwhelming—this is for experts only. The break is exposed and will be handling a ton of water. Beginners, stay home.
Drop down to Sunday the 2nd of August and that’s your first real standout. The swell drops to a more manageable 8 ft out of the SW, with a 12-second period, and a light cross-off breeze from the SSW. The combined energy is still strong (2002), but the conditions are clean and excellent for experienced surfers. The break is fairly consistent, but crowds are sometimes an issue at Piha—so get in early. This is the best on offer in the first week.
Monday the 3rd of August is a gem for the patient surfer. The swell is 5 ft out of the SW, but the period is a very long 20 seconds—that’s groundswell with real push. The wind is glassy, dead offshore from the SE at 3 mph, and the combined energy is strong (2018). This is a classic scenario: long-period SW swell tends to break clean and straight at a beach break, but it’s best on the points and reefs. Piha is a beach, so expect long, clean lines but with longer lulls between sets. The morning is the pick.
From Tuesday the 4th through to Tuesday the 11th, the conditions are a bit of a rollercoaster. The morning of Wednesday the 5th brings 8 ft clean surf with moderate cross-off wind, but it’s not a standout. Thursday the 6th morning has a short 8-second period, so the waves are weaker and more disorganised. The end of the first week and into the second week is a mix of clean but marginal conditions, with the swell dropping to 3 ft by Monday the 10th.
Wednesday the 12th of August is the second standout, and it’s a promise for the future. The swell is 7 ft out of the WSW, with a 15-second period, a light cross-off breeze from the S at 6 mph, and combined energy of 1763. The morning is clean and excellent for experienced surfers. This is the best of the second week, but it’s a long way out—so keep an eye on it.
In summary, the standout windows are Sunday the 2nd of August and the morning of Monday the 3rd of August, with the early morning of Wednesday the 12th of August as a promising long-range option. The water’s average, the crowds can be there, but the quality is there for the experienced crew.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu afternoon, min 9°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 14°C on Fri morning, min 8°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | 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 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | W 9 | WSW 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 10 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 17 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
669 | 807 | 458 | 450 | 389 | 1447 | 1487 | 1126 | 472 | 862 | 1454 | 2614 | 8188 | 7188 | 4176 | 1903 | 906 | 738 | 1583 | 2276 | 4589 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 9:07PM2.57m | 9:22AM2.47m | 9:44PM2.68m | 9:59AM2.56m | 10:20PM2.76m | 10:35AM2.61m | 10:54PM2.81m | 11:10AM2.64m | 11:28PM2.82m | 11:46AM2.64m | 00:02AM2.79m | 12:23PM2.62m | 00:39AM2.73m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:50PM0.49m | 3:19AM0.50m | 3:29PM0.38m | 3:56AM0.39m | 4:06PM0.29m | 4:32AM0.30m | 4:41PM0.24m | 5:07AM0.24m | 5:17PM0.22m | 5:43AM0.22m | 5:53PM0.25m | 6:20AM0.23m | 6:32PM0.31m | ||||||||
7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | |
— | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 |
Feels °C | 8 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 10 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 17 |
669 | 807 | 458 | 450 | 389 | 1447 | 1487 | 1126 | 472 | 862 | 1241 | 1877 | 8188 | 7188 | 4176 | 1903 | 906 | 738 | 1583 | 2276 | 2746 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 7 | SW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 18 | WSW 16 | — | — | WSW 18 | WSW 16 | WSW 18 | — | — | — | — | SW 22 | SW 20 | SW 20 | SW 23 | SW 9 | SW 11 | — |
184 | 11 | 26 | 31 | 171 | — | — | 126 | 412 | 326 | — | — | — | — | 18 | 99 | 98 | 411 | 246 | 182 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 26 | WSW 18 | SW 11 | — | — |
13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | 31 | 189 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | N 3 | NNW 4 | NW 5 | WNW 7 | W 9 | W 9 | WSW 11 | WSW 14 | — | — | — | S 5 | — | — | SW 8 | SW 17 |
— | — | — | — | — | 8 | 26 | 17 | 285 | 715 | 1454 | 2614 | 7295 | — | — | — | 53 | — | — | 145 | 4589 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 46 | 123 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 85 | 44 | 54 | 0 | 53 | 101 | 0 | 125 | 187 |
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.










