Apache Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into this. We’ve got a 16-day window for the local area, but honestly, the news isn’t what we’d hope for. The first real chance to even consider a paddle doesn’t come around until late in the run.

Right now, we’re stuck in a pretty grim stretch. From Thursday the 23rd of July all the way through, the conditions are just not working for us. We’re looking at a solid week of risk t-storms, cross-shore winds, and a whole lot of weak, short-period windswell that’s barely cracking 3 ft. The energy is just pathetic – readings like 61 (weak) and 48 (weak) tell you everything. The swell direction is coming from the S and SSW, which for Apache-Pier is not what you want to see. The wind is mostly cross or cross-on, keeping everything messy. This is a long gap, about a week of completely poor surf conditions.

Hold on, though. There’s a flicker of hope. On the morning of Saturday the 25th of July, we get a brief moment of relief. The wind swings to a light offshore from the NW, and the water cleans up. The swell is tiny, just 1 ft from the SE with a period of 8 seconds, so it’s a dribbler, but the energy is only 26 (weak). It’s more of a chance to get wet than a proper surf. The crowds are possible here, so don’t expect solitude for that tiny window.

The pattern stays poor for days after that. Lots of onshore and cross-shore wind, more weak swell. The water temperature is sitting at 85°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

Now, we jump ahead to the first real standout. It’s not a classic, but it’s the best we’ve got. On Monday morning, the 3rd of August, a rare moment of magic appears. The wind goes completely glassy, 0 mph, from the SW. The swell is a modest 3 ft from the SSE with a period of 7 seconds. The energy is 82 (weak), so it’s not going to fire, but with glassy conditions, that little wall will be clean as a whistle. This is the morning to sit on your board and enjoy the calm. The crowd profile says crowds are possible, so get there early.

After that, the outlook fades again. The rest of the first week of August and into the second week is a repeat of the same story: weak swell, poor cross-onshore winds, and low energy. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing during these windy, choppy days.

So, to sum it up: the best and only real window is the glassy morning of Monday the 3rd of August. Mark it. It’s not big, but it’ll be the cleanest wave we’ll see. Everything else is a write-off. Don’t hold your breath for the second week; it’s just more of the same flat, windy nonsense.

Rusty.

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