Apache Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, Rusty here, giving you the lowdown on Apache Pier (sandbar) for the next couple weeks. The surf forecast is looking pretty rough, so let’s be real. Water temp is around 84°F, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year – feels like a warm bath.

We’ve got a major dry spell starting out. From Wednesday, September 16th, all the way to the end of the third week of September, there’s basically nothing to ride. Swell is tiny, from 0.3ft to 3ft, coming from the east and southeast with short periods. The combined wave energy is in the teens and twenties – real weak. Winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and it’s all “poor surf conditions.” There’s a couple glassy moments on Friday the 18th and Monday the 21st, but with only 1ft of swell, it’s barely a ripple. Not worth paddling out for.

This quiet stretch runs right through the 26th. On Saturday, September 26th, we finally see something. The morning brings a 3ft swell from the east with a moderate cross-offshore wind keeping things clean, and the energy is 67 – still weak, but it’s a pulse. That afternoon, it bumps to 4ft from the east, with a cross-shore and some chop. It’s not great, but for beginners, it’s about the best you’ll find. Crowds are listed as “often,” so expect company.

For the more experienced crew, the real show starts late in the window. On Monday the 28th of September, the afternoon sees a 5ft swell from the east-southeast with a 7-second period, and the energy jumps to a moderate 237. The wind is a fresh cross-shore, so it’s lumpy and messy. Then on Tuesday the 29th, it gets serious: morning has 7ft from the east-southeast (energy 648), and the afternoon hits 8ft with 756 energy. Again, that fresh cross-shore wind keeps it choppy. This is expert-only territory due to size and mess.

The one standout, for better or worse, is Wednesday, September 30th, in the morning. The data really points to this one. You’re looking at a big 10ft swell from the south-southeast with an 11-second period – that’s real groundswell with long lulls between sets. The combined energy hits a very strong 1941, so there’s massive power. The wind is a moderate cross-shore with some chop, but it’s cleaner than the previous days. The catch is that the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. It’s an expert’s gamble – if the sandbar holds, it could be the wave of the window, but it’s heavy and intimidating. For most, it’s a day to watch from the pier.

After that, Thursday, October 1st, drops fast to 3ft from the south, then 2ft from the southeast, with fresh onshore winds and it’s back to quiet.

So, beginners: your best bet is that clean 3ft morning on the 26th. Experts: if you’ve got the skill and the nerve, that massive morning on the 30th is your only real shot, but it’s a beast. The nearly two-week gap with next to nothing is the harsh reality here. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye out.

Rusty.

Read more