Manhattan Beach and Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper surf around Manhattan Beach and Pier. We’ve got a run of small, weak, and messy conditions that’ll have you wondering if the ocean forgot its job. The water’s sitting at a warm 73° – that’s a solid 7° warmer than usual for this time of year, which is a big deal, but it won’t make the waves any better.

The first few days, starting Wednesday the 5th, are a total write-off. We’re looking at tiny 1ft swells with short, weak periods, and the wind is mostly cross-onshore, chopping everything up. The energy’s weak, too, reading around 91 to 109 on the combined scale – just not enough push for anything rideable. Thursday’s the same story. Friday the 7th and Saturday the 8th see the swell nudge up to 1ft-2ft with a slightly longer period, but it’s still marginal at best. You’re getting light cross-onshore breezes, and the surf is just messy, white, and uninviting.

There’s a small flicker of hope on Monday morning, the 10th. The wind swings to a light cross-offshore from the SSE, and the water cleans up a touch. We’re still talking about a tiny 2ft swell, but at least it’s surfable – just very ordinary. If you’re desperate, that’s your window, but honestly, you’ll be fighting for knee-high lumps.

From there, it’s more of the same. The middle of the week is poor, with onshores and chop. The energy does start to build a bit around the 14th and 15th, with the swell reaching 2ft-3ft and the combined energy jumping to 326-410, which is moderate. But the wind ruins it – cross-onshore and choppy, especially in the afternoons. The mornings are a bit cleaner, but the swell’s still tiny and short-period.

The last few days of the window, around the 18th and 19th, give us another couple of clean windows with light cross-offshore winds. Again, it’s only 1ft-2ft, so you’re looking at micro-sessions. We’ve got a 16-day forecast here, and there’s just no standout day. No big swell, no proper groundswell, just a whole lot of nothing. For a beginner, it’s too small and messy to learn on; for anyone else, it’s not worth paddling out for anything more than a splash. The setup’s more interesting for a kite than a surfboard, honestly.

Keep your board in the car, but don’t get your hopes up. It’s a blank run, and that’s just how the ocean’s playing it this time.

Rusty.

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