Manhattan Beach and Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a squiz at what’s on offer for Manhattan Beach and Pier over the next couple of weeks.

There’s a bit of a flat spell to start with. For the first few days, we’re looking at tiny, weak surf that’s barely worth paddling out for. The light winds aren’t doing much to help, and the wave comment tells the story: poor surf conditions. The combined swell energy is low, bouncing around the 100 to 200 mark, which is just weak. Hang tight.

Things start to stir around Sunday the 23rd of August. The swell picks up a touch, with waves around 1ft from the southwest, and a period of 19 seconds gives it some long-period groundswell character. The energy climbs to a moderate 209, and it’s flagged as marginal. Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th are a similar story – small, long-period SW swell, but still mostly cross-on winds keeping it messy.

Now, the standout window kicks off on Wednesday the 26th of August. We get a clean morning with light cross-offshore winds from the south. The swell bumps up to 2ft from the south, with a moderate period of 16 seconds and solid wave energy of 429. That’s a decent pulse, and the wind should keep it tidy. This is your first real chance for a good surf.

But the pick of the whole run is Thursday the 27th of August. The morning looks absolutely magic. Clean conditions with light cross-offshore S winds, and the swell jumps to 4ft from the SSW. The combined energy is 571 – moderate but with plenty of push. This is the best on offer, and it’s worth making a plan for.

After that, it tails off but stays rideable. Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th both have clean mornings with 3ft and 2ft SSW swell respectively, and light cross-offshore winds keeping it clean. The energy stays in the 400s, so still fun.

The following week dims down again. From Monday the 31st, the swell drops back under 3ft, and most afternoons get chopped up by onshore wind. There’s a glassy morning on Tuesday the 1st of September, but the swell is tiny at 1ft. Not much to get excited about.

Then, look at Friday the 4th of September. We get another clean morning with light cross-offshore winds, a 2ft SSW swell, and the energy pops back up to 336. That’s a nice little bonus at the tail end of the run.

One thing to note: the water temperature is sitting at 70°F, which is 4°F warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s notable – much warmer than normal, so you might not need the thick rubber.

For the best session, absolutely target the Thursday morning of the 27th of August. Clean, 4ft SSW swell, and good energy. Wednesday morning the 26th is a close second. The break itself is Manhattan Beach and Pier, an exposed sand and pier setup that can handle a south swell. It’s a consistent spot, and crowds are often an issue, so get in early. The long-period stuff around the 23rd through 25th might be a bit straight for the beach break, but the pier can sometimes line it up.

That’s the story, mate. A slow start, a solid mid-week blast, and a few clean mornings to finish.

Rusty.

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