Jennette's Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a good long look at what’s coming down the line for us. We’ve got a 16-day window, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch. We’re looking at a whole lot of flat, weak energy for the first week and a half, with only a few flickers of something rideable toward the very end. The water temp around here is about average for this time of year, so no wild surprises there.

Right now, starting today, August 22nd, it’s a write-off. We’ve got tiny 1ft waves from the ESE with no push at all. The energy is next to nothing (39), and with a risk of thunderstorms, you’re better off staying dry. That trend keeps up all the way through the end of August. Day after day of knee-high slop, poor conditions, and winds that are either onshore, cross-shore, or just plain messy. You’ll see a brief moment Sunday morning, August 23rd, with a clean, glassy feel and a 9 mph offshore from the west, but the swell is a pathetic 0.7ft with a period of 12 seconds – that’s all reach and no punch. The combined energy is just 28. Not worth suiting up.

This flat spell drags right through the week. By Friday morning, August 28th, we finally see a tiny bump. The swell pushes up to a marginal 2ft from the E, with a 9-second period, and the offshore wind (9 mph from the WSW) cleans it up. The wave comment finally says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” The combined energy creeps up to 52, but honestly, it’s still a longboard-only day for the most patient souls. That’s the best we've seen, but it’s not a standout. It’s just… less bad.

Sunday morning, August 31st, things get weird. We get a 1ft swell from the ESE, but the period jumps to a massive 19 seconds. That’s a very long-period groundswell. The combined energy hits 93, which is on the edge of moderate, but the wave height is still tiny. This is the kind of swell that will wrap into a point or reef, but here at a beach/jetty setup like Jennette’s Pier, that long period makes the waves break too straight and weak. The offshore wind from the SW will make it look pretty, but you’ll be waiting an eternity for a waist-high wave that just crumbles. The crowd factor is “sometimes” here, so you might have company for the novelty of it.

The first real shift comes Monday afternoon, September 1st. The swell bumps to 2ft from the E, with a 13-second period, and the combined energy pushes up to 120 – that’s moderate energy. The wind is light and cross-on, so it’s not perfect, but for the first time in a long time, there’s some actual grunt in the water. This is one of the two true standouts in this forecast, but it’s still far from firing. The second standout is Wednesday morning, September 2nd, where we see 2ft from the ESE at 12 seconds and the combined energy spikes to 172 – the highest number in the whole 16-day run. The wind is cross-shore, so it’ll be a bit bumpy, but that’s the biggest, most powerful wave of the period. If you’re itching, that’s your morning to check it. It’s still small, but it’s got some life.

After that, it fades fast. By September 5th, the wind is howling from the NNE at 19 mph, and the swell shifts to a messy 4ft from the N with a period of just 6 seconds. That wind is cross-shore, making for lumpy, choppy junk. With that much wind and that short of a period at a beach setup, I’d say it looks more interesting for the kite crew than for us paddle surfers. The energy is there (118), but it’s ugly.

Bottom line: this is a long, slow stretch. The first standout is Monday afternoon, September 1st, and the best on offer is Wednesday morning, September 2nd. Mark those dates, but keep your expectations on the ground. It’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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