Galveston-61st Street Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get real about Galveston-61st Street Pier. I’ve looked at the whole 16-day window, and honestly, I’m struggling to find a wave worth paddling out for. The water temperature is sitting at 86°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t be needing a wetsuit, but that’s about the only thing going for it.

We’re looking at a run of flat, weak, and messy conditions that stretches all the way through the end of July. The first hint of any surf shows up on Saturday afternoon, July 11th, but it’s a tiny 2ft from the SSE with a short period of 5 seconds and combined swell energy of only 17. That’s barely a ripple. Add in a risk of thunderstorms and that glassy wind (3 mph from the east) is the only thing that might make it look pretty, but there’s no power behind it. It’s poor surf, full stop.

The next few days don’t get any better. Sunday morning, July 12th has 2ft with a light cross-on breeze, and the energy is still weak at 18. By Monday, July 13th, the wind picks up to 12 mph cross-shore, making it choppy on top of the already tiny 2ft swell. There’s a brief moment on Tuesday morning, July 14th, where the wind goes cross-offshore and the water looks clean, but the swell is a pathetic 1ft with energy at 18 — not worth the drive.

We go through a long stretch of nothing special. The swell never really gets above 3ft for the entire period, and the periods are mostly short, between 4 and 7 seconds. The energy values stay in the double digits, well under 100, confirming just how weak it all is. The wind is almost always onshore, cross-onshore, or just plain messy.

The closest thing to a standout — and I’m being generous — is Friday morning, July 24th. There’s a 3ft swell from the SSW, period of 4 seconds, and a clean cross-offshore wind from the WNW at 12 mph. The energy is 26, so it’s still weak, but it’s the cleanest the surf will look in the whole outlook. That’s your best bet, and it’s a long way off.

For a beginner-friendly beach/pier break like this, the waves are too small and weak for anyone to get excited about. The consistency is fairly consistent, but consistently poor. If you’re a kite surfer, the setup might be more interesting than paddle surfing a few days with the cross-shore winds, but for a surfer, it’s a no-go.

Honestly, this is a blank run. It’s one of those times where the forecast just doesn’t deliver. Stick to the swim trunks and the cooler, and keep an eye on the charts — it tends not to stay this flat forever.

Rusty

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