Ocean Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what the next couple of weeks have in store for us around here.

Honestly, it's a pretty bleak run for the foreseeable future. We're looking at a solid 16-day window of mostly poor conditions, so don't go getting your hopes up for anything firing. The water's sitting at 73°F which feels way warmer than usual for this time of year – a solid 5°F above average, so at least you won't need a thick wetsuit.

We start off on Sunday the 16th with a weak 3ft SW groundswell pushing through, but with a 9 mph NW cross-onshore wind it's gonna be choppy and messy. The combined energy is only moderate at 471, which sounds okay on paper but the quality is just trash. That poor surf condition label sticks around for days. On Monday the 17th, we drop to 3ft of the same swell, still cross-off, still no good.

The whole first week really is a write-off. Tuesday the 18th through Friday the 21st sees tiny swell (2ft to 3ft) and persistent cross-onshore winds. It isn't until Friday morning the 21st that we get a *marginal* rating – and that's being generous for a 2ft, 13-second period swell with a light cross-onshore breeze. Not worth paddling out for.

Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd are still grim, though Sunday the 23rd does show a 2ft SSW swell with a 19-second period – that's a very long period groundswell. It'll have some energy (334 combined), but it's still cross-onshore and the size is too small for that long period to do anything meaningful at a beach-and-reef setup like Ocean Beach Pier. There's a chance it could wrap in cleaner, but it's a long shot.

As we head into the second week, nothing changes. Monday the 24th through Friday the 28th is all tiny, poor surf with cross-onshore winds. You'll see the combined energy values drop into the low 200s and 300s – weak to moderate stuff, which matches the 2ft to 2ft swell heights.

Then, on Saturday the 29th, things get a tiny bit interesting. Morning brings a 3ft SW groundswell with a 15-second period and an onshore wind from the WNW. The combined energy jumps to 496 (moderate) but the wind is still onshore. The afternoon has the same 3ft swell but with a 16-second period and combined energy of 534 – the highest in the whole forecast. Still, it's a cross-onshore breeze and the ride quality is flagged as poor to marginal. It's not the standout we'd want.

The one true standout? I hate to say it, but there isn't one. This is a full 16-day stretch with zero high-quality windows. The only *maybe* is Saturday the 29th afternoon at Ocean Beach Pier, where the 3ft SW swell from 230° hits with that 16-second period and moderate energy (534). The wind is still cross-onshore from the NW at 9 mph, so it won't be glassy, but if you're desperate, that's your best beat. For expert surfers only on that day? No, it's only 3ft – small enough for anyone, just poor quality.

This kind of blank run is a bit rough. We've got a consistent break here, so it typically doesn't stay this dead for long. Forecasts can always change, but right now, I'd leave the board in the car and enjoy the warm water for a swim. It's going to be more interesting for the kite surfers with that cross-onshore wind and small waves than for us.

Rusty.

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