Huntington Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about the next couple of weeks at Huntington Pier.

Honestly, if you’re looking for a proper surf session, you’re going to have to be patient. The wave energy is there, but it’s pretty weak to start with, and the wind is mostly on or cross-onshore. For the first few days, into the start of next week, we’re looking at ankle-biters. The combined energy is weak, in the 94 to 200 range, and the swell is under 2ft. It’s not going to be worth getting wet for most of us. The water temp is a very unusual 73°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only highlight.

The wind is the main problem. It’s coming from the southwest, which is exactly the direction Huntington Pier is exposed to, so it’s just going to be lumpy and messy. There’s a little push in the swell period on Friday the 7th and again on Tuesday the 11th, up to 18-19 seconds, which is a proper long-period groundswell, but the height is still tiny. The energy is moderate at best, like 353 and 278, but with the onshore wind, it’s going to be a frustrating paddle for nothing.

We get a bit more life in the water from around the 14th of August. The swell starts to build, and the energy gets into the strong range, hitting 540 and then 631 on the 14th. The swell height is still only around 3ft, but the period is long, around 18-19 seconds. The morning winds are light offshore, which is a big positive. This is the first window where it might actually be clean. The morning of Friday the 14th looks like the pick of the early run – that long-period southwest swell with light winds could actually set up some lined-up walls on the pier.

The weekend of the 16th and 17th is when things get a little more interesting. The swell is still small, around 3ft, but the energy is solid, in the 400 to 611 range. The morning of the 16th has a slight air, which is about as glassy as it gets. That’s a standout. The period is 16 seconds, which is a good, solid groundswell. It’s not going to be big, but it could be clean, and with the long period, the pier’s structure should help focus it.

After that, it fades back down. The last week of the forecast, from the 18th onwards, looks like we’re back to small, weak surf. The wind is more of an issue again, with moderate breezes creating chop. There isn’t another standout window in that second week. It’s looking like a blank run after the 17th, which is a bit of a bummer. But that’s the nature of it sometimes. The forecast can always change, and it tends not to stay this poor for long.

So, my call: if you’ve got a free morning, make it the 15th or 16th of August. The swell is up, the energy is strong, and the wind is light. It’s not going to be epic, but it’s the best on offer. The rest of the time, you might be better off just watching the horizon.

Rusty.

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