Apache Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’ve been through the data for Apache Pier, and honestly, it’s a pretty quiet stretch. The swell is tiny, the wind is mostly messed up, and the scores are low. Let’s take it day by day.

We kick off on Tuesday, August 18th, with a measly 1ft wave from the southeast, and the wind is cross-onshore from the south at 9 mph. The combined energy is a weak 36, so it’s barely moving. The water is warm at 84°, about average for this time of year, but the surf is poor. Not a good start.

The next few days, from Wednesday the 19th through Friday the 21st, are a slog. The swell stays tiny, between 1ft and 2ft, with cross-onshore or onshore winds. The period is short, around 8 to 9 seconds, so it’s just windswell. The energy is in the teens or low twenties – really weak. No reason to paddle out.

Then Saturday the 22nd brings a small bump, with waves hitting 2ft to 3ft from the south, but the period drops to a terrible 5 seconds. That’s just wind chop. The energy climbs to 49, so it’s got a little more push, but the wind is still cross-onshore from the south at 15 mph in the afternoon, making it choppy and ugly.

Sunday the 23rd is a bit of a tease. The morning has a cross-offshore wind from the southwest at 12 mph, and the swell is 3ft from the south with a period of 6 seconds. The energy is 48, and the conditions are clean. It’s the best we’ve seen, but it’s still small. For a beginner, this might be a chance if you’re keen, but it’s not a standout.

The week from Monday the 24th to Wednesday the 27th is more of the same: small swell, poor wind, low energy. The biggest day in that stretch is Thursday the 27th afternoon, when the swell jumps to 6ft from the south with a period of 6 seconds. The combined energy hits 250 – that’s moderate power. But the wind is cross-onshore from the south at 12 mph, making it choppy. For a beach break, 6ft with that wind and short period will be a bit messy. Not for beginners, but it might offer some punchy waves for intermediates.

Friday the 28th morning has 4ft from the south-southwest with a period of 6 seconds and a light cross-shore wind from the southwest at 6 mph. The energy is 172, and the conditions are clean. This is probably the best window. It’s still not a classic, but the wind is okay and the swell has some size. The optimum swell direction is SSE, and this is coming from SSW, so it’s a bit off. Still, it’s the pick of the fortnight.

From Saturday the 29th onward, the swell drops back to 1ft to 2ft, and the period lengthens to 8-10 seconds, but the energy is weak. The wind actually turns glassy or cross-offshore on Sunday the 30th and Monday the 31st, so the conditions are clean, but the swell is just too small to ride. You’d be sitting on your board doing nothing.

The standout? The best on offer is Thursday afternoon the 27th for the raw power, but the wind is messy. The real highlight is Friday morning the 28th, with 4ft of swell, clean conditions, and moderate energy. It’s not a classic, but it’s the only session that looks like it might deliver a few decent waves. Crowds are often an issue here, so expect company.

If you’re a beginner, stay away from the bigger days – 6ft with that short period will be a handful. For kite surfers, the windier afternoons with cross-onshore chop might be more fun than paddle surfing.

Overall, it’s a lean run. The waves are small, the wind is mostly wrong, and the quality is poor. But forecasts can change, and the 28th morning has a sliver of hope.

Rusty

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