Apache Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a long look ahead at Apache Pier, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch. The water temp is sitting around 84°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there, but the waves? They’re gonna be a real struggle.

The overall pattern is flat and weak. The combined wave energy barely cracks double digits most days, sitting in the 14 to 36 range for the first week and a half, which is just whisper-thin energy. We’re looking at a lot of poor surf conditions with tiny, weak swells.

For the first ten days, from August 26th right through to September 4th, you’re mostly looking at ankle-to-knee-high slop. The swell is a messy mix of short-period SE and S windswell, mostly under 2ft, with periods of 4 to 9 seconds – that’s just wind chop. The wind is a problem too: it’s mostly cross-onshore from the S or SE, which chops everything up. There are a few glassy moments – like Saturday morning the 29th, Sunday the 30th, and Monday the 31st – but with swell heights of 1ft to 1ft, there’s just nothing to push you around. It’s a glassy lake, not a surf.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Wednesday, September 2nd. The morning session shows a 2ft swell from the SE, but the period jumps to 11 seconds, which is a proper groundswell pulse. The combined energy hits 65, which is still weak, but the wind is offshore from the WSW, making it clean. You’ll find tiny, clean lines. It’s not a standout, but it’s the best we’ve seen so far. The next morning, September 3rd, has a similar setup, with a 1ft SE swell, 9-second period, and light offshore WSW wind – clean but small. Then, on Friday the 4th, the morning brings a 2ft SW swell with a short 5-second period, but again, clean offshore wind. The combined energy is only 47, so it’s weak, but it’s a chance to get wet on a clean face.

The pick of the entire 16-day window, if you can call it that, is the morning of Wednesday, September 2nd. That 2ft SE swell with a 11-second period is the longest period we see, and the light offshore wind from the WSW will keep the surface clean. The swell direction is SSE, which is the optimum for Apache Pier, so the waves will have a bit of shape. It’s small, but it’s the only time the conditions align. After that, we’re back to tiny, weak, and choppy or clean and flat again.

Honestly, for the first eight days, the biggest call is whether to bother paddling out for a 1ft wave. The setup is so weak that it looks more interesting for a kite than a paddle. The surf quality is rated poor for almost every session. The crowd factor is “often” here, and with surf this small, even a few longboards will have you battling for scraps.

The second week, from September 5th onward, is more of the same. Tiny swells, mostly 1ft to 2ft, with periods mostly under 10 seconds. The wind is on the nose or cross-onshore most of the time. There’s a morning on September 9th with a 4ft swell, but it’s a messy 6-second period and the wind is cross-shore, making it a lumpy mess. Combined energy is 99 – still weak. It’s not a day to get excited about.

So, to wrap it up: the best shot is the morning of September 2nd. It’s small, clean, and has a little groundswell pulse. The rest of the period is a waiting game. Don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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