Apache Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's get into it. I'm looking at Apache Pier, and I gotta be straight with you – it's a tough stretch ahead. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a bummer if you're chasing waves. There's a long gap of nothing really worth paddling out for, especially from now through the end of July. The first hint of anything that's not "poor" shows up on the morning of Thursday, July 30th, but even that's a struggle.

Let's break it down. The forecast is dominated by tiny, weak swell – mostly from the southeast and south, with periods barely crawling above 6 to 8 seconds. That's short-period, windswell junk. The combined swell energy is low, mostly in the 20s and 30s, sometimes hitting the 40s or 50s (weak energy). Water temps are about average for this time of year, nothing wild.

Thursday, July 30th, we finally get a morning that's "surfable but very ordinary." The swell is a tiny 3 ft from the south, with a short period of 6 seconds. The combined energy is only 50 (weak). The wind is light from the west-southwest, which is cross-offshore and will keep the surface clean. It's not good, but it's the best we've seen in a while. The crowd factor at Apache Pier is "often," so you'll have company for the scraps.

The next real glimpse of something better comes on Monday, August 3rd. The morning is glassy, with a light northeast breeze. The swell is still small, 3 ft from the south-southeast, with a period of 7 seconds. The combined energy bumps up to 63 (weak). It's still "surfable but very ordinary." It's a beginner-friendly wave, but only if you're content with tiny, weak rollers.

The swell ticks up slightly on Saturday, August 8th, with a 4 ft south-southwest swell, but the period is a dismal 6 seconds. The combined energy finally cracks triple digits at 111 (moderate wave energy), but the wind is from the south-southwest, putting it onshore and choppy. It's a mess.

Honestly, there's no standout session here. The best on offer is the glassy mornings of August 3rd or maybe August 7th, but those are just for small-wave fun. For expert surfers, there's nothing to get excited about. For the kitesurfing crew, the onshore winds and choppy conditions on several afternoons might look more interesting than paddling. This is a classic flat spell for the area. It won't stay poor forever, and forecasts can change, but for now, keep your board in the car and your expectations low.

Rusty

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