Apache Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’ve looked at what’s coming down the pipe for Apache Pier, and mate, I’ll be straight with you—it’s a tough stretch ahead. There’s no good surf to recommend across the full 16-day window from July 12th through July 27th. The data’s clear: every session is marked poor, with a score of zero out of ten. That’s a full run of dud conditions.

We kick off with Sunday afternoon, July 12th, and there’s barely a ripple—2 ft of short-period S swell at 5 seconds, thrashed by a 19 mph cross wind and the threat of thunderstorms. The combined wave energy is weak, just 27. The water is sitting at 85°, which is a touch warmer than normal for the time of year, but you won’t be in the water to enjoy it.

Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th see tiny 1.0 ft to 2 ft swells, mostly from the SE, with periods around 7 to 9 seconds. There are a few clean windows Monday morning and Tuesday morning with light cross-offshore breezes, but there’s just no power behind the waves. Combined energy sits in the low 20s to 30s.

The middle of the week, Wednesday the 15th, offers a moment of absolute glass early morning—wind is calm with a glassy surface—but the swell is a pathetic 1 ft from the ESE at 8 seconds and low energy (26). You could maybe sit on a log and pretend, but that’s about it.

We cruise into the weekend of July 18th-19th with a slight bump—swell hits 3 ft to 4 ft from the ESE, but it’s short period (5 seconds) and onshore winds ruin it. The energy climbs to around 60, still low, but with that wind direction and chop, it’s more of a mess than a wave. This kind of exposed sandbar setup with onshore wind and short-period swell isn’t even worth a paddle.

The second week, from July 21st onward, there’s zero change in fortune. We see near-daily swells of 1.0 ft to 3 ft, mostly from the S or SSE, periods hovering around 4 to 8 seconds, and persistent cross or cross-onshore winds often blowing 15 to 22 mph. The combined energies never break out of the teens to low 30s. A couple mornings on July 25th and 27th have glassy conditions and even a bit of moderate rain, but the swell’s too small to do anything with.

For a spot like Apache Pier that’s exposed to the south and southeast, we just aren’t getting any decent groundswell direction or period to make it work. If you’re looking for something to do on those breezy, choppy days, the setup with 15-22 mph cross-shore winds and 2 ft to 3 ft lumpy seas would actually look more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing—but for a wave rider, this outlook is a total washout.

The good news? Apache Pier is noted for being a consistent, beginner-friendly sandbar spot, and forecasts can change. It’s normally a reliable wave, so this kind of blank spell won’t last forever. Keep an eye on the charts, but for now, leave the board in the car and take the week off.

- Rusty

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