Piha-The Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking at Piha-The-Bar over the next couple of weeks.

The first thing you need to know is that this is a stretch of real, solid groundswell coming in, but the wind is going to be a major player for most of the run. We’ve got a lot of cross-onshore and onshore breezes that are keeping things messy, especially early on. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, nothing wild there. This is an advanced-only setup due to the size and power we’re looking at, so leave the foamies at home.

Thursday the 3rd is a write-off. We’ve got a 7ft WSW swell with a 14-second period pushing in, but with a 12 mph WNW wind, it’s a choppy, questionable tide situation. Not worth paddling out.

We roll into Friday the 4th and it gets worse. Swell jumps to 8ft, then 12ft, but the wind is fresh and onshore or cross-onshore with rain. This is a no-go; poor conditions all day.

Saturday the 5th is where things start to look promising. The swell holds at a solid 12ft from the WSW with a 14-second period. The wind switches to a gentle 9 mph WSW breeze, sitting cross-shore. The morning session will have a little cross-chop, but it’s the best we’ve seen so far. This is a standout session for experienced chargers.

Sunday the 6th morning keeps the 12ft swell, but the period stretches to 16 seconds. The wind is light and cross-onshore from the NNE at 9 mph, making for fairly choppy conditions. By the afternoon, onshore winds and rain kill it.

Monday the 7th afternoon is another standout. We get a 13ft WSW swell with a 15-second period, and a 12 mph offshore breeze from the SW. That cross-shore wind will clean it up a bit, with just some cross-chop. This is the best on offer for the first week – big, powerful, and reasonable wind. It’s still an expert-only day.

Things get messy again from Tuesday the 8th through Thursday the 10th, with strong winds, rain, and lumpy conditions. Not worth it. The swell keeps pumping, but the wind is ruining it.

Friday the 11th is a beast. The swell hits 16ft, then 18ft from the WSW with an 18-second period. The wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-shore. The notes say the swell is too big for this break, but if you are a seasoned charger and know the bar, this could be a legendary session. Only for the most skilled. Saturday the 12th is similar, with 15ft swell and that long period.

Sunday the 13th is the most realistic target for the second week. The swell drops to a still-chunky 12ft from the SW with a 15-second period. The wind is a moderate 16 mph WSW cross-shore. It’s still going to have some cross-chop, but it’s the cleanest option in that second week stretch.

From Monday the 14th onward, the winds turn onshore again or the swell drops, keeping things poor and uninviting. The final few days of the run get blown out by strong onshore winds, so don’t hold your breath.

So, for the best on offer: Saturday morning the 5th and Monday afternoon the 7th are your two standout windows. Both are big, expert-level days with reasonable wind. The 11th and 12th are for the lunatics only. The rest of the run is a battle with the wind.

Rusty.

Read more