Imperial Pier (North and South) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s cookin’ at the coast.

First up, the water temp is sittin’ at about 68°F, which is about normal for this time of year – nothin’ to write home about, just your standard summer warmth.

Now, the honest truth? This 16-day window is a bit of a struggle. The first real chance of anything surfable doesn’t show up until Monday, July 6th, and even then, it’s only marginal. The swell is comin’ from the SSW to SW, mostly in the 2 ft to 3 ft range, with periods between 14 and 20 seconds. That longer period stuff (groundswell) has some energy behind it – you can see the combined swell energy climbin’ into the 600s and even nudging 971 (moderate wave energy) – but the problem is the wind. For the first week, we’ve got cross-onshore breezes or onshore winds most of the time, which is just messin’ with the surface. The notes keep saying "poor surf conditions," and that’s the vibe.

There’s a tiny glimmer on Tuesday, July 7th, and Wednesday, July 8th. The swell bumps up to 3 ft–4 ft from the SW with that long 16–18 second period, and the wind swings light offshore or light cross-onshore in the mornings (6–9 mph). That’s your best bet for a clean-ish wave at Imperial Pier (North and South), but it’s still only a marginal call. The break is exposed and consistent, which is a plus, but the crowd factor says "sometimes" – so expect a few heads out if it looks good. Still, the swell direction (SW) is not far off the optimum WSW, so the shape might have a bit of push.

From the 9th onwards, it gets grim again. The swell drops under 3 ft, the wind stays cross-onshore, and the scores flatline. By the second week, we’re lookin’ at tiny 2 ft–2 ft waves with onshore wind – not worth paddlin’ out for. The only real standout in this whole 16-day stretch would be the Tuesday morning (July 7th) and Wednesday morning (July 8th) sessions. If you’re desperate, that’s your window. Otherwise, it’s a long stretch of flat, poor-quality surf. For beginners, the swell stays under 5 ft, so it’s not too big, but the crummy wind makes it tricky. For experts, there’s just no juice.

Signin’ off, Rusty.

Read more