Flagler Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, same story, just in feet and miles. Let's talk about Flagler Pier for the next couple of weeks, and I'll level with you—it's a dry spell for a surfer. The whole forecast is built on tiny, weak swell and poor quality surf.

Starting off Friday, August 28th, we've got a 1 ft easterly swell with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is a measly 43. The morning is glassy with a light offshore wind from the SSW, so it looks clean, but the wave comment says "poor surf conditions"—there's just no power to ride. By the afternoon, the wind swings SE and picks up to 12 mph, making it cross-shore and choppy. That little 1 ft wave disappears into the bumps.

Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th are more of the same grind. Swell from 1 ft to 3 ft, period dropping to 5-8 seconds, and the cross-onshore wind keeps everything choppy. The energy stays in the 20s and 30s—weak and lifeless. The risk of thunderstorms on Sunday morning just adds to the gloom.

Monday August 31st through Thursday September 3rd is flat and messy. Swell heights are 2 ft to 2 ft, short period, with onshore or cross-onshore winds. The energy climbs to 116 on the morning of Wednesday September 2nd, which is moderate, but the period is a very long 11 seconds for that tiny wave size. On a beach and pier setup like Flagler, that long period makes the wave break too straight and fat, not the clean shape you want. And the wind is onshore that morning too, so it's a bust.

Friday September 4th and Saturday September 5th are the only real windows of opportunity, but they're small. Friday morning has 2 ft from the east, an 8-second period, and glassy conditions—totally clean. The energy is only 35 though, so it's tiny. Saturday morning is also glassy with 1 ft from the ESE, but the energy is even weaker at 20. If you're on a longboard or a foamie, these are the sessions to paddle out early, but don't expect much.

The second week from September 7th onward shows the swell shifting ENE to NE, with periods reaching 12-14 seconds. The energy on the 8th gets to 96-100, which is moderate, but the swell height is still only 2 ft. The morning of Wednesday September 9th has a light offshore SSW wind, making it clean, and the wave comment finally upgrades to "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions"—that's the best it gets. The period is 11 seconds, so the wave might have some push, but it's still small. Thursday and Friday mornings the 10th and 11th also have clean cross-offshore winds with 2 ft to 2 ft swell from the NE. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual.

The standout here, if you can call it that, is the stretch from Wednesday September 9th to Friday September 11th, especially the mornings. That clean wind is a big plus, and the longer period gives the wave some shape. But with waves barely reaching 2 ft, and Flagler needing a solid NE swell that we're just not getting size-wise, it's not worth a special trip. The break sees crowds "often," but with conditions this ordinary, you'll likely have it quiet.

Bottom line: there are no good surf options in this 16-day window. It's flat, mostly messy, with a few glassy mornings that might give you a knee-high ride. The good news? Forecasts can change—if the ENE swell around the 9th to 11th gets a bump in size, those clean winds could make it interesting. For now, save your energy and wait for a better swell.

Rusty.

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