Piha-The Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s have a honest look at what’s coming down the pipe for the next couple weeks.

We’ve got Piha-The-Bar as the only spot in the game here, and it’s a heavy-duty, advanced-only break. No two ways about it. Right off the bat, Monday the 6th is a write-off – huge, ugly swell with strong cross-on winds. That 13ft to 15ft NW/WNW stuff is just raw power (combined energy reading 5017 to 10141), but the wind’s trashing it. That’s not for paddling, that’s for watching or maybe kite gear if you’re mad enough.

Tuesday the 7th eases back to a solid 10ft from the WSW, and the wind goes cross-off, so it cleans up. Clean surf, but the energy’s still high (4969). The issue? The reports say questionable tide and marginal conditions. Still, an advanced surfer could find a gem if they know the sand.

Wednesday the 8th and Thursday the 9th stay in that 8ft to 15ft zone with clean, cross-off winds, but the swell is just too big for this break at times, especially Thursday afternoon when it hits 15ft with a 16-second period – that’s a freight train (10201 energy). Way too much for anyone but the most experienced locals, and even then, it’s sketchy.

Now, the standout window. Saturday the 11th and Sunday the 12th. That’s where it gets good. Saturday morning brings 6ft SW swell at 15 seconds with a glassy 3 mph offshore breeze – clean as a whistle. Combined energy is 2118, so it’s real, but not crazy. Sunday is even better: light ESE wind going offshore, 7ft long-period WSW groundswell at 16 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, so at a bar break it might get a bit straight, but for the first few hours it’ll reel off nicely. This is the best on offer for experienced surfers – the rip bowl might set up perfectly.

Monday the 13th hangs in there too – 5ft to 5ft with glassy conditions Monday afternoon. That’s a sweet, clean, manageable size. Good for a session.

Then we hit a lull. From Tuesday the 14th through about Sunday the 19th, it’s mostly junky. Onshore winds, small surf under 4ft, or big messy wind swell. There are a couple of clean windows on Friday the 17th with 4ft to 5ft, but the wind is cross-off and the energy is moderate (1195 to 1387). It's okay, not a standout. The rest of that stretch is disappointing – poor conditions, lumpy cross-shore chop.

The last few days into the 21st don’t look much better – onshore winds and marginal surf. A couple of clean 6ft days on the 20th, but the wind is cross-shore, so it’s lumpy.

So, bottom line: the best waves of the whole 16-day run are Saturday 11th through Monday 13th. Saturday morning and Sunday morning are the real winners – clean, solid 6ft to 7ft SW groundswell with light offshore winds. It’s a short window, but if you’re advanced and you can make it, that’s where you want to be. After that, it’s a waiting game.

Stay safe out there, and don’t paddle out on that 15ft day unless you’ve got a death wish.

Rusty.

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