Ocean Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, checking in with the local scoop for Ocean Beach Pier. Gotta be straight with you—this stretch is looking like a real mixed bag, but there’s a tiny window for something special if you’re sharp.

Right now, the water is sitting at a very unusual 75°F, which is about 7°F warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s a big deal; feels like you’re swimming in a different season.

We’re starting off with a tough run. From Wednesday the 2nd right through to Friday the 4th, the conditions are just poor. Those morning light winds are onshore, and the swell's tiny, weak energy in the 379 to 944 range, with a short period swell that’s just not shaping up. There’s nothing worth paddling out for.

Then we get to Saturday the 5th. The morning is still a bit messy with some clouds and a light cross-onshore breeze, but the afternoon? That’s our one true standout. The wind drops to almost nothing—glassy—and a clean 5ft swell rolls in from the S at 14 seconds. The energy jumps up strong at 1318, and the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. That's the window. It’ll be a moderate sized, long period south swell, but with that glassy surface, Ocean Beach Pier could have some clean, lined-up waves. Keep in mind this break works best with a west swell, so the south direction might be a touch awkward, but the glass-off makes up for it. It can get crowded here often, so get in early.

Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th see the swell push up over 7ft, but the wind swings cross-onshore and the energy gets high and messy. Sunday morning is marginal, but the afternoon is just poor and choppy. It’s too big and blown out for the lineup to be any fun unless you’re a glutton for punishment.

After Tuesday the 8th, the swell drops right back down. From Wednesday the 9th all the way through to the end of the run on Thursday the 17th of September, it’s just small, weak, and mostly onshore. The energy falls to low, two-digit and three-digit values, and wave heights hover around 1ft to 5ft but with nothing clean or punchy. You’d be chasing whitewash at best.

So the bottom line: if you can make it for Saturday afternoon the 5th, that’s your shot. Otherwise, it’s a long dry spell of close to two weeks with nothing on offer. Keep an eye on the forecasts, though—this place can turn around quick.

Rusty.

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