Apache Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what's on the table for Apache Pier over the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with you, the 16-day window is pretty grim for surfers.

The Long Haul of Nothing (Now to Sept 21st)

Honestly, for the first ten days, it's a write-off. From now until Monday the 21st of September, we're looking at a big stretch with waves barely worth mentioning. You'll see tiny 1ft to 1ft slop, mostly from the SE. The combined swell energy is almost always weak, sitting between 14 and 100. The few times the wind does go offshore or glassy, like on Monday the 14th morning or that Saturday morning the 19th, the swell is just too weak to do anything with. It's a classic case of hoping for a miracle that just isn't coming. The water temp is a warm 83°, which is about average for this time of year, but you'd be floating more than surfing.

A Glimmer of Hope (Sept 22nd onwards)

Now, as we move into the last week of September, things get a little more interesting, but there are serious catches. On Tuesday the 22nd morning, we see a pulse of swell – 6ft from the E with an 8-second period. The combined energy jumps to moderate at 382. The wind is a light cross-onshore, which isn't perfect. That afternoon it gets bigger, hitting 7ft from the E (732 energy), but the onshore wind gets stronger and choppy, so it's messy. This size is pushing past beginner territory.

The real standout, if you can call it that, looks to be Wednesday the 23rd morning. The swell direction shifts to the S at 5ft with an 8-second period, giving us a combined energy of 378. The wind is light and cross-shore, which will keep it reasonably clean. Still, 5ft with that period is going to be a bit fat and punchy. Crowds are likely here, so expect some company.

After that, Thursday the 24th drops right back down into the doldrums with weak slop and onshore winds. The week ends with a little spike on Saturday the 26th – 4ft from the ESE with a solid 11-second period (261 energy). That longer period could mean some cleaner lines, but with strong cross-onshore winds, it'll be a messy, choppy affair. It's really not set up for a clean paddle.

The Bottom Line

There is no truly *good* surf in this 16-day run. The only window that even remotely looks like it has potential is the morning of Wednesday, September 23rd, and it’s a "maybe" at best. For the rest, the setup is so poor with onshore winds and weak swell that this place, being a beach setup, honestly looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. The spot is fairly consistent, so this blank run is a bit of a bummer, but forecasts can change. Keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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