Apache Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's break down the next couple of weeks at Apache Pier.

Look, it’s a lean period. Over these 16 days, the first week and a half is a write-off. We’ve got a long stretch of poor conditions from the end of August well into the first week of September. The waves are tiny and the wind is mostly trash.

Let’s get specific. Through Sunday the 30th and Monday the 31st of August, we’re dealing with 1ft SE windswell. The period is a weak 8 seconds, so there’s no power. The combined swell energy is a measly 13-26. The only bright spot is Monday morning when the wind goes glassy (NE 5 mph), but with barely a ripple, it's just a flat, clean ocean. Not worth the gas.

Tuesday the 1st of September is more of the same. A tiny 1ft SE swell with a 7-second period. Tuesday morning is glassy again, but the energy is nonexistent. By Wednesday the 2nd, we get a slight bump to 2ft but the period stretches to 10 seconds. The combined energy hits 89, still weak. The wind is side-shore, not helping.

Thursday, Friday, and into the weekend are a battle. We get a mix of tiny southerly slop and messy onshores. There’s a clean moment Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th of September with cross-offshore WSW wind at 9 mph, but the waves are barely a ripple at 1ft to 2ft. It's just not surfable.

Finally, on Sunday the 6th of September, we see a tiny glimmer. The morning shows 3ft of SW swell with a 5-second period. The combined energy hits 61, and with a clean cross-offshore breeze, it's technically surfable. But it’s very ordinary. The crowd factor here is *often* busy, so you won't be alone for the few scraps.

The real standout of this whole forecast comes late. On Thursday the 10th of September, a pulse of 6ft SSW swell arrives in the afternoon. The combined energy jumps to a moderate 253, though the period is still a short 6 seconds. The wind swings to WSW at 16 mph, giving us a clean cross-offshore flow. The notes say it’s marginal, but compared to the rest, this is the day. That’s under the 8ft expert-only mark, so it’s manageable for most. The following Friday morning the 11th also looks decent, with clean 2ft S swell, a 7-second period, and a light offshore WNW breeze at 9 mph. The energy is weak at 57, but the conditions will be clean.

So, you’ve got a long wait for very little. The one date to pencil in is the afternoon of Thursday the 10th of September for that bigger, cleaner swell. Otherwise, it’s a flat and windy slog.

Rusty.

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