Galveston - Flagship Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this 16-day window for Galveston - Flagship Pier is a tough one to call. The forecast is basically a long stretch of very small, weak, and mostly messy conditions. We’re looking at a whole lot of waist-high or smaller slop, with challenging winds knocking it around. There’s a real gap here with no proper surf to recommend.

Let’s start with the first week. From Friday, July 10th, right through to the end of Sunday, July 19th, it’s pretty grim. We’re seeing swell heights stuck at 2 ft for days, with a short, weak period of 4 to 5 seconds and combined wave energy barely cracking 16 to 45 – which is just weak. The wind is either cross-on or onshore, making it choppy and messy. The water temperature is sitting at 87°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. The skies are mostly risky with thunderstorms early on, so it’s not a great time to get wet. The swell is coming from the SSE, which is pretty much straight onshore for this spot, and at 2 ft, there’s simply no push.

The only faint glimmer of hope in this first stretch is the morning of Monday, July 20th. The wind switches to a light WNW cross-off at 6 mph, and the wave comment calls it “clean.” The swell is still tiny at 1 ft from the SSW, but it’s better than the rest. It’s a short window of clean conditions, but the size is basically flat.

Now, look at the second week. Things start to shift a little. The morning of Tuesday, July 21st, sees a similar clean setup with a light WNW cross-off and 2 ft from the SSW. It’s still small, but clean.

The standout of the entire 16 days, without a doubt, is the morning of Wednesday, July 22nd. We finally get a glassy morning with the wind switching to SSW at just 3 mph. The swell pushes up to 3 ft from the SSW, with a period of 5 seconds and combined energy hitting 48. It’s not a big swell, but for this stretch, it’s the best wave shape we’re going to see. The water is still about average for the time of year. This is your best bet for a clean, rideable session, though expect crowds to be possible as it’s the only decent option.

After that, Thursday, July 23rd, and Friday, July 24th, mornings offer clean, cross-off winds from the SW and WSW, with swell holding around 3 ft from the south. The combined energy climbs to 55 and 80, which is still weak to moderate. The swell direction is swinging more southerly, which is a touch better, but the period is still short (5 to 6 seconds), so it’ll be a bit weak and soft. The wind picks up in the afternoons, so you’re strictly looking at the early windows.

The final morning, Saturday, July 25th, is similar – clean with a cross-off WSW wind, 3 ft from the south, and 64 combined energy. It’s the same story: a decent morning session before the onshore winds ruin it.

Overall, the best on offer is the glassy morning of the 22nd. It’s not a surfer’s paradise, but it’s the only chance for a clean, fun wave in this whole run. The rest is just waiting for a better forecast.

Rusty.

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