
Surf Forecasts:
Piha-The Ditch surf forecast from 12 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 12 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 16s period, SW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 12 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 16s period, SW swell with 10,772 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 12 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 16s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Piha-The Ditch this week:
The surf forecast for Piha-The Ditch over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 12) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 4.5m and 16s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-shore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Piha-The Ditch in the next 16 days are 4.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 12) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 15ft (4.5m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 15ft (4.5m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 15ft (4.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Piha-The Ditch over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s on the table for the next stretch.
First up, we’re looking at Piha-The Ditch. The whole forecast is a bit of a tale of two halves: a massive, powerful swell rolls in early on, but it is *too big* for this spot to handle properly for most of the first week. The water’s sitting at 59°F, which is pretty average for this time of year – nothing unusual there.
We get a big pulse of energy starting Saturday the 12th. The swell is a solid 15 ft from the SW with a period of 11 seconds, giving us a massive combined swell energy of 7824. That’s a whole lot of water moving. Problem is, that’s way too much for this break, especially with a cross-off wind around 30 mph on Saturday morning. Sunday isn’t much different, with 15 ft to 13 ft and the energy hitting over 10,400. This is big-wave territory, not a beginner’s game.
Things start to settle down by the middle of the week, but the quality drops. Monday the 15th has the swell dropping to 8 ft, but the wind is cross and the conditions are only marginal. The energy drops to 2356 — a lot more manageable, but the tide and wind combo just isn’t making it work.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The standout window, the one you really want to circle on the calendar, is Friday the 18th through to the morning of Saturday the 26th. Specifically, the morning of the 26th. That’s the best on offer.
On the morning of the Saturday the 26th of September, we get 8 ft of swell from the WSW, with a 14-second period. The wind is light from the ENE, around 6 mph, and it’s a cross-off. The water is glassy, clean as a whistle. The combined swell energy is 3895 — a nice, solid, surfable number. The forecast says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers” and I’m with that. It’s not too big for the ditch, it’s got push, and the wind is perfect. That’s the session to be in the water.
Before that, the morning of Friday the 25th also looks special. 10 ft from the SW, 15-second period, and the wind is 3 mph from the east – glassy. The energy is 4467. Just pure, clean lines. That’s a close second, maybe even a tie.
The rest of the second week, from the 22nd to the 24th, is mostly too big again or suffering from cross-onshore winds. The morning of the 24th is clean with 12 ft and a gentle offshore, but it’s still a heavy swell for the ditch. It’s a worthy mention, but the 26th morning is the clear winner.
So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off for most folks unless you’re hunting for a big, raw, powerful wave. The real magic is the last weekend of the window, especially the morning of the 26th. Get on it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Sat afternoon). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Sat morning, light winds from the SW by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu morning, min 11°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 11 | WSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
4232 | 5730 | 10265 | 10400 | 9507 | 6947 | 5722 | 4698 | 3192 | 2356 | 2155 | 1559 | 933 | 494 | 848 | 2491 | 2648 | 2417 | 5603 | 4895 | 4885 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | cross-off | off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 10:01AM2.92m | 10:18PM3.02m | 10:39AM2.92m | 10:54PM2.95m | 11:15AM2.86m | 11:30PM2.82m | 11:51AM2.75m | 00:06AM2.65m | 12:29PM2.59m | 00:44AM2.45m | 1:09PM2.42m | 1:26AM2.26m | 1:57PM2.24m | 2:19AM2.08m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:10PM-0.01m | 4:33AM-0.04m | 4:49PM0.04m | 5:10AM0.03m | 5:27PM0.15m | 5:46AM0.16m | 6:05PM0.31m | 6:22AM0.33m | 6:44PM0.50m | 7:01AM0.53m | 7:27PM0.69m | 7:46AM0.71m | 8:19PM0.87m | ||||||||
6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | |
— | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:14 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | 3 | 7 |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 12 |
Feels °C | 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | SW 16 | — | — | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
3592 | 5730 | 10265 | — | — | 6947 | 5722 | 4698 | 3192 | 2356 | 2155 | 1559 | 933 | 494 | 848 | 2491 | 2648 | 2417 | 5603 | 4895 | 4885 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 20 | WSW 18 | WSW 18 | — | — | — | — | NW 7 | WNW 8 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 32 | 32 | — | — | — | — | 14 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | SW 10 | — | SW 16 | SW 16 | — | SW 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
4232 | 2355 | — | 10400 | 9507 | — | 4948 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 172 | 124 | 84 | 84 | 137 | 228 | 153 | 137 | 228 | 137 | 137 | 230 | 165 | 311 | 121 | 8 | 288 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Auckland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Piha-The Ditch Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Piha-The Ditch 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 Ditch can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Piha-The Ditch 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 Ditch) 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 Ditch 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 Ditch 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.










