Piha - surf spot statistics

Best Surf Season (February - April)

As autumn settles in, the Tasman Sea comes alive with a steady diet of long-period SW and WSW swells. February through April marks the sweet spot for Piha, with ideal wind conditions—offshore breezes from the NW through WSW—occurring 27-28% of the time. Average swell heights climb from 1.4m to 1.7m, while wave periods hover in the 12-13s range, delivering powerful, lined-up waves that groom the famous Piha peaks to perfection. This is when you can score clean, rippable walls with the occasional pumping session that will have you rethinking your lunch plans.

Fair Surf Season (May - August)

Winter arrives with a punch: average swell heights push to 1.9m and periods remain solid at 12.7-13.0s, thanks to a procession of deep Southern Ocean lows. However, the ideal wind window shrinks to 20-25% as prevailing SW and WSW winds—onshore and destructive—dominate. The western Tasman Sea churns, delivering frequent SW and WSW swell trains that are often accompanied by messy onshore winds. Still, between storm fronts, brief windows of offshore flow (mostly NW to W) can transform Piha into a punchy, hollow playground. It's a game of patience, but the rewards are heavy.

Low Surf Season (September - January)

Spring and early summer bring the most challenging conditions. From September through January, ideal wind percentages bottom out at 15-18%, with persistent onshore SW and WSW winds ruining wave quality more than half the time. Swell heights average 1.5-1.9m, but the energy is often short-period (11.7-12.1s) and wrapped in choppy, wind-affected surfaces. The best chance for a clean session comes when a high-pressure system stalls east of the North Island, allowing offshore easterlies to sneak in. Those rare days, especially in January, can still deliver fun, shoulder-high sets—but you'll need to pick your windows carefully.

October: Spring Slump

October is the most challenging month for surf quality at Piha. Ideal wind bottoms out at 15%, the lowest of the year. Swell heights still average 1.9m, but periods drop to 12.7s. Swell direction is heavily WSW (31.6%) and SW (35.1%), with W swell at 10.6%. The wind pattern is dominated by onshore SW (16.4%), WSW (14.2%), and W (9.3%) flows, often in the 20-40kph range, creating chronically choppy and bumpy conditions. Offshore winds from NW and WNW are scarce, each around 8% or less. The best chance for a decent session occurs when a slow-moving high-pressure system sits over the South Island, funneling light easterly breezes across the North Island. Those days are few and far between. Most of the month, you'll be contending with wind-slop and strong currents.