Piha-The Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s coming up for Piha in the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but the opening day on Thursday, August 6th, is a real highlight. That morning, Piha will get a solid 5 ft swell from the southwest with a nice long 12-second period, and the wind is offshore from the ESE at just 3 mph. That’s clean, glassy conditions for the experienced crew. The water temp is sitting at 57°F, which is pretty much average for this time of year, so nothing unusual. The combined energy is moderate at 765, and it’s shaping up for some very good surf. The afternoon drops a little in size but stays clean, so that Thursday is your best bet early on.

Friday the 7th is a morning session only. The swell drops to 3 ft, but the wind goes glassy – light northerly at 3 mph. That’s a real treat for the smaller boards, clean and smooth. But by Friday afternoon, the wind switches to a cross-on, and the waves get pretty ordinary.

Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th are pretty messy. Saturday has small, weak swell with cross-on winds, and Sunday gets a bit of a bump in size, but it’s blowing 12-16 mph from the NNE, making it choppy and unattractive. The combined energy spikes to 2463 on Sunday morning, but with that wind, it’s not a paddle-friendly setup. More of a kite day if you’re into that.

Monday the 10th shows a bit of a comeback. The swell picks up to 4 ft to 5 ft from the WSW with a 16-second period, and the wind goes cross-off from the south at 9 mph. The water stays clean, and the energy is strong (1274-1406). Not a standout, but a solid session for the experienced.

Tuesday the 11th starts off well – clean, with a 4 ft WSW swell and ENE offshore breeze. That’s worth a paddle. But the afternoon turns onshore and messy.

From Wednesday the 12th through to the weekend, the swell starts to build big. Wednesday the 12th afternoon has a 7 ft swell from the west, but it’s blowing onshore at 12 mph – not great. Thursday the 13th is a bit better with cross-shore winds and a 7 ft swell, but still not clean.

Now, here’s where it gets serious. On Saturday, August 15th, a massive 15 ft swell arrives from the west, but it’s accompanied by strong onshore winds and thunderstorms. That’s not for the faint-hearted, and the conditions are poor. The combined energy is through the roof at 6709, but it’s a wild, dangerous mess.

Sunday the 16th sees the same massive 15 ft swell, but the wind is lighter and more favorable. The energy is enormous (8450-13113), but the swell is just too big for Piha – it’s only for experts if they’re feeling brave, and the forecast says it’s too big for this break.

Monday the 17th drops to 10 ft with cross-shore winds, still a heavy session. Tuesday the 18th is messy with strong onshore winds.

The real standout in the second week comes on Thursday, August 20th. The swell is a manageable 6 ft from the WSW, with a 13-15 second period, and the wind is offshore from the ESE at 6-9 mph. The combined energy is 1292-1335, and it’s described as excellent surf for experienced surfers. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. Clean, solid, and well-shaped.

Friday the 21st still has some size – 10 ft to 12 ft – but the period drops to 8-9 seconds, which is short and a bit junky. Offshore winds keep it clean, but it’s a big, lumpy, short-period swell, so only for the strong paddlers.

So, my pick: Thursday the 6th morning for the clean, solid start, and Thursday the 20th for the best of the long-range action. Don’t get too excited about the massive stuff in between – it’s more for the photographers than the paddlers.

Rusty.

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