Surf Forecasts:
Piha-The Bar surf forecast from 7 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 11 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 19s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 11 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 19s period, SW swell with 15,907 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 14s period with SW 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 (Sep 08) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 2.2m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Piha-The Bar in the next 16 days are 5.0m 19s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 11) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Fri 11th Sep) | 15ft (4.5m) 19s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Fri 11th Sep) | 16ft (5.0m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Piha-The Bar over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here again. Let’s talk Piha in feet and Fahrenheit. The water’s sitting at 58°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, nothing unusual.
The first few days are a bust. Monday the 7th has a messy 10ft swell from the WSW with a long 16-second period, but a cross-on wind and light rain make it a write-off. The energy is strong (5056), but it’s not surfable. Tuesday the 8th cleans up a bit with a cross-off breeze, but the swell drops to 7ft, and it’s still not great. Wednesday and Thursday stay choppy with cross-on winds. So you’re looking at a gap of about four days with nothing worth paddling out for.
Friday the 11th is the big one. The morning brings a massive 15ft swell from the SW with a 19-second period, and the wind is cross-off—clean and glassy. The wave energy is off the charts at 13160. But hear me out: that’s a long-period groundswell, and at Piha’s beach break, it can close out hard. Plus, 15ft is only for the brave and the skilled. The afternoon is even bigger at 16ft (15620 energy), but the wind swings cross, making it lumpy. This is a day for experts only, and even then, be careful.
Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th still have 13ft+ swell, but the wind is screaming from the SW at 25 mph, creating a messy cross-chop. The energy is still high (7149-7836), but the quality is poor. It’s more of a kite-surfing day.
The middle of the second week, around Monday the 14th to Wednesday the 16th, the swell drops to 11ft-8ft, but the wind stays cross or cross-on, so it’s not great. The energy is moderate to strong (2344-6399), but the conditions are choppy.
Looking ahead, Monday the 21st and Tuesday the 22nd are the real highlights. The wind turns cross-off from the S, and the swell is a manageable 10ft-8ft from the WSW. The periods are a solid 13 seconds, and the energy is moderate (3070-2568). The wind is light, especially on Tuesday with a NNE breeze at only 3-6 mph, making for nearly glassy conditions. That’s a sweet spot for intermediate to advanced surfers, with clean waves and less chance of a crowd.
So, the two best bets: Friday the 11th for the big, raw power (if you’ve got the nerve), and the stretch from Monday the 21st to Tuesday the 22nd for cleaner, more manageable surf. Keep an eye on that later week.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Mon morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon morning, min 11°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Thu night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 10°C on Thu night). Mainly strong winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | |||||||||||||||
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 16 | WSW 15 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 11 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 17 | WSW 16 | SW 19 | SW 18 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | SW 11 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 16 | WSW 16 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 4340 | 3348 | 1736 | 1699 | 868 | 1082 | 686 | 509 | 628 | 785 | 671 | 4214 | 13160 | 15620 | 14182 | 11043 | 4188 | 8362 | 7836 | 7411 | 6389 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 6:22PM2.46m | 6:54AM2.39m | 7:25PM2.65m | 7:52AM2.57m | 8:15PM2.83m | 8:39AM2.73m | 9:00PM2.96m | 9:22AM2.85m | 9:40PM3.03m | 10:01AM2.92m | 10:18PM3.02m | 10:39AM2.92m | 10:54PM2.95m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:55AM0.59m | 00:40AM0.54m | 1:02PM0.43m | 1:40AM0.34m | 1:58PM0.25m | 2:30AM0.15m | 2:46PM0.11m | 3:14AM0.02m | 3:29PM0.02m | 3:55AM-0.05m | 4:10PM-0.01m | 4:33AM-0.04m | 4:49PM0.04m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  |  |  | |  |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — |
 | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — |
mm | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 9 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 10 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WNW 9 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 20 | — | — | — | — | WSW 16 | — | SW 15 | SW 16 | — |
| kJ | 4340 | 3348 | 775 | 1699 | 520 | 1082 | 686 | 509 | 628 | 785 | 561 | 1394 | — | — | — | — | 2961 | — | 7836 | 7411 | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 8 | — | SW 14 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WSW 21 | WSW 19 | WSW 18 | SW 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 716 | — | 1736 | 203 | 101 | 82 | 30 | 288 | 475 | 651 | 671 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSW 10 | — | — | WSW 22 | SW 21 | NW 8 | WNW 8 | SW 26 | SW 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | 223 | — | — | 47 | 218 | 17 | 12 | 26 | 259 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WNW 8 | SE 3 | SSW 7 | SW 11 | — | — | — | — | WNW 7 | WNW 5 | WSW 16 | SW 19 | SW 18 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | SW 11 | SW 15 | — | — | WSW 16 |
| kJ | — | 601 | 7 | 139 | 868 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 103 | 4214 | 13160 | 15620 | 14182 | 11043 | 4188 | 8362 | — | — | 6389 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 44 | 75 | 0 | 73 | 81 | 101 | 125 | 127 | 169 | 85 | 103 | 81 | 124 | 227 | 85 | 228 | 346 | 191 | 228 | 228 | 249 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Auckland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
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