Ocean Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about Ocean Beach Pier.

Honestly, for the next week and a half, it’s looking pretty damn bleak. We’ve got a lot of small, weak swell and most of it is coming in with a cross or onshore wind that’s just chopping everything up. You’ll see plenty of mornings where it looks clean, but there’s just no power behind it. The swell energy is weak to moderate for most of this stretch, with values mostly in the 200s and 300s—enough to make you think about it, not enough to get you out of bed. The water is a warm 73°F, which is about 4°F warmer than normal for this time of year—that’s notable, you definitely won’t need a wetsuit jacket.

From the 11th through the 15th, it’s all poor surf. The swell is there, but it’s tiny—under 3 feet—and the wind is mostly cross or cross-on. You’ll get some 3ft on Friday the 11th, but it's a 15-second period with light cross-shore wind, and it’s still just not making the grade. The energy is moderate, sitting around 419, but it’s not turning into anything rideable. It’s a lot of effort for nothing.

We finally get a slight bump in energy and a shift in the wind around Wednesday the 16th. That morning, the swell is still small, around 3ft, but the period drops to 17 seconds. The wind is light and onshore, which is better than cross-onshore, but it’s still not clean. The energy reaches 401, which is on the lower end of moderate. That’s the first time we get a "marginal" call, but it’s still not something I’d get excited about. The period is good, but the size just isn’t there.

Here’s the thing: the good stuff is a long way off. Around the 19th and 20th, the energy starts to pick up noticeably. We’re going from moderate to strong, with values hitting 520 and up to 626. The swell is still small, around 3ft to 3ft, but the period stays nice and long, mostly in the 17-18 second range. That long period gives it some push, and the winds are looking lighter. This is where I start to perk up.

Saturday the 19th morning is probably the first real standout of the whole forecast. You still have that small, 3ft south-west swell, but the period is a solid 18 seconds, and the wind is light and onshore. The energy is strong, with a value of 520. It’s going to be clean, and even though it’s small, the long period might give it some shape. The ocean will feel like it’s got a pulse.

Sunday the 20th afternoon looks similar, maybe even slightly better. The swell kicks up to 3ft, with the same 18-second period, and the energy jumps to 626. Wind is light and onshore. This could be the pick of the bunch if the tide works out. It’s not big, but it’ll be clean and lined-up. The Monday morning on the 21st also has that 3ft swell with 17 seconds, and the energy stays high at 644, but the wind goes a little bit cross, so it might not be as perfect.

After that, it seems to fade a little. The energy drops back to the 400s by the 22nd and 23rd, and the wind gets a bit more cross-on. There’s a chance on the 22nd afternoon, but it’s marginal at best.

So, the real window, the one shining moment, is the weekend of the 19th and 20th. It’s not going to be a big swell, but that long period and light wind should make for the cleanest surf we’ve seen in over a week. I’m not getting my hopes up for barrels, but for a grovel session on a clean, soft wave, that’s your time. Remember, a long period swell can sometimes break a bit straight at a beach break, but with these small sizes, it shouldn't be a problem.

It’s a hard wait, but it might just be worth it.

Rusty.

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