Piha-The Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, lookin’ at what’s comin’ for Piha. The next 16 days have some solid swell but a whole lot of wind to sort through. Water temp is about 56°F, which is pretty much average for this time of year, so nothin’ weird.

We’ve got a bit of a wait before anythin’ really gets good. The first few days from Wednesday, the 26th, through to Friday, the 28th, are all blown out or just average. Wednesday morning has a 8ft WSW swell but that cross-on wind is makin’ a mess of it, and the wave energy is strong (2378). It’s just not worth paddlin’ out. Thursday afternoon is the first real glimmer – the wind goes glassy, calm as, and we’ve got 7ft of WSW swell, period 13 seconds, with moderate energy (1400). That window is clean, but it’s only for experienced surfers at that size. Friday and Saturday are mostly a write-off with onshore junk.

Now Sunday the 30th has some size – 7ft to 8ft SW and WSW swell – but the wind is messy cross-shore or cross-on, and the period drops to 9 seconds, so it’s weak and lumpy. Not your day.

The standout, and I mean the real standout, is Monday the 31st of August. We’re talkin’ a 15ft SW swell at 13 to 14 seconds, and the energy is enormous (7424 to 8315). This is big, powerful groundswell. But here’s the thing – it’s too big for this break, predicted to be over the top for even the experienced crew. The wind is cross-shore, but it’s goin’ to be a beast. If you’re an expert, this is the biggest, most powerful wave of the window, but you’d better know what you’re doin’. The long period (14 seconds) means it’s a proper groundswell, and at a beach break like Piha, it might be a bit too straight and heavy. For the average punter, this is a look-from-the-beach day.

Tuesday the 1st of September cleans up a bit. The swell drops to 12ft to 13ft, still big, but the wind is cross-shore and the energy is still very strong (6906 to 10256). Tuesday afternoon actually gets a score worth paddlin’ for – the wind is manageable, and that 12ft SW swell at 14 seconds is proper. Still big, still expert territory.

After that, Wednesday the 2nd onwards gets messy again. Strong winds, lumpy, cross-onshore junk. The swell stays big – 10ft to 13ft – but the wind is a killer. Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th have a 8ft to 10ft swell but the wind is onshore and strong, so it’s blown out. The following week, from the 6th to the 10th, is more of the same: big swell but terrible wind. Sunday the 6th has a 10ft swell with fresh cross-onshore, and Monday the 7th has a 8ft swell with a very long period of 16 seconds – that’s a rare, deep groundswell, but the wind is strong cross-shore, so it’s messy. The wave energy is huge (6792), but you won’t enjoy it.

Honestly, the best on offer is Thursday afternoon, the 27th of August. That 7ft WSW swell with glassy conditions is your cleanest window. It’s not the biggest, but it’s the only time the wind truly cooperates. For the big-wave hunters, Monday the 31st and Tuesday the 1st of September are the ones to watch, but only if you’re a serious expert.

Crowds at Piha can be a thing, especially on the good days, so keep an eye out.

Rusty.

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