Ocean Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for Ocean Beach Pier.

Honestly, it’s a pretty quiet stretch ahead. The next two weeks are looking like a flat spell with very little to get excited about. There’s a lot of small, weak swell and the wind isn’t doing us any favours. You’re going to see a lot of marginal days, and plenty where you’re better off doing something else.

Let’s start with the water. When we do get a wave, the water temp at Ocean Beach Pier is sitting at 74°F – that’s a whopping 6°F warmer than usual for this time of year. Very unusual, almost like a warm bath. You won’t need a steamer.

Kicking off on Saturday the 12th of September, we’ve got a tiny 2ft SW swell with a period of 14 seconds. The combined swell energy is weak (262). Light west wind, 6 mph, blowing onshore. It’s poor. Not worth paddling out for.

Sunday the 13th is more of the same – 2ft SW swell, 13-second period, energy at 181. A gentle cross-onshore breeze from the SW at 9 mph. Choppy and small. Monday the 14th brings a bit more height – 4ft from the W, but the period drops to a weak 8 seconds. That’s short-period wind swell, and with a cross-onshore wind at 9 mph, it’ll be a messy, lumpy affair. Energy is moderate (415), but the quality just isn’t there.

Tuesday the 15th has a pulse of very long-period groundswell – 16 seconds from the SW – but it’s only 2ft. That long period at a beach-and-reef setup like Ocean Beach Pier means it’ll likely break too straight and be tricky to catch. Energy is weak (285). Still poor.

Wednesday the 16th to the end of the week sees the same story: small SW swell, 2ft to 3ft, periods varying from 15 to 19 seconds. The energy does climb into the strong range on the 18th (511), but the wave comment says it’s marginal at best. Winds are mostly cross-onshore from the NW or WNW, at 9 to 12 mph, keeping things choppy.

The second week, from the 21st of September onward, is more of the same. We get a bit more energy – up to 565 on the 21st, which is moderate-strong – but the swell height barely nudges 3ft, and the wind is still a cross-onshore issue. The last few days of the month see the energy drop back to weak levels (250-300) with a light onshore breeze.

There’s no standout day here, no session you’d tell your mates about. The best you could say is that the 21st and 22nd have some marginal potential with 3ft SW swell and a 17-second period, but with a cross-onshore wind, it’s going to be a frustrating, close-out mess. Given the consistent but poor quality and the onshore wind at a beach break, this setup honestly looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Rusty.

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