Galveston - Flagship Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, the entire 16-day window is a quiet one. There’s no real surf to get excited about right now, and the first recommendation doesn’t even pop up until the 1st of August. From there, it’s a long, flat stretch with nothing worth paddling out for. The whole run is a bit of a dud, to be honest.

The only spot that even gets a mention is Galveston - Flagship Pier. It’s a beach/pier setup, pretty exposed to the south-east, and it’s fairly consistent for this area, which is about the only good news. The water’s sitting at a warm 87°, a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick suit.

We start off on Saturday morning, the 1st of August. There’s a tiny 2ft swell from the south, but it’s a short period of 4 seconds, and a cross-offshore wind from the WSW at 12 mph is keeping it clean. The combined energy is a weak 11, so don’t expect much push. It’s really just small, weak waves for a beginner. The afternoon gets worse, with a 3ft south-southwest swell but a fresh 22 mph cross-onshore wind that’s going to make it lumpy and messy.

Sunday the 2nd shows a little more promise. The morning has a 2ft south swell with a 5-second period, and a 9 mph offshore wind from the WNW. That’s clean, but the energy is still low at 21. It’s tiny, but it’s the cleanest the surf will be all week. The afternoon sees the wind shift onshore, and it gets choppy again.

The rest of the first week, right through to the 7th, is a repeat of small, weak swells (2ft to 2ft) with short periods (4 to 5 seconds) and onshore or cross-onshore winds. The combined energy rarely gets above 30, which is pathetically weak. The wind is a constant problem, either a moderate breeze or a fresh breeze, making conditions choppy and unappealing. The morning of the 7th offers a light breeze, but the swell is only 2ft and the period is 4 seconds, so it’s just not enough.

The second week, from the 8th of August onward, doesn’t get any better. The swell is still tiny, between 1ft and 2ft, all from the south-southeast or southeast, with periods never exceeding 7 seconds. The wind is a constant cross-onshore flow, often a moderate breeze, keeping the surface chopped up. The combined energy is a joke, hovering in the teens and low twenties. It’s the same story every day: poor surf conditions.

This spot is a consistent break for the region, but it’s just not working with the conditions we have. The waves are too small, the period is too short, and the wind is almost always on the nose. The only real stand-out, if you can call it that, is the Sunday morning of the 2nd of August, with that clean, offshore wind. But even then, it’s barely a wave. For anyone looking for a proper surf, this is a washout. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, given the constant onshore breeze.

Stay tuned, the forecasts can change, but for now, save your energy.

Rusty.

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