Ocean Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what Ocean Beach Pier has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you from the start—this isn’t one of those epic runs. We’re looking at a long stretch of marginal surf, with a lot of cross-onshore influence and mostly small, grovelly waves. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The pattern starts on Thursday, 23 July, with a small SSW swell pushing in around 4ft on the beach-and-reef setup at Ocean Beach Pier. The period is a decent 13 seconds, so it’s got a bit of push, but wind is onshore from the west at 6 mph, which will keep things a bit lumpy. The combined energy is moderate (547), but it’s really just a marginal day with questionable tide. The morning is the pick of the two sessions, but it’s not one to write home about.

Friday, 24 July, sees a drop in size to 2ft in the morning, but the swell direction swings to the SW and the period jumps to a very long 24 seconds. That’s proper groundswell—long lines, but at a beach break, that long period can make the waves a bit too straight and closey. The wind is a light cross-onshore from the SW at 6 mph, so there’s a little bump. The combined energy is moderate (939 for the morning), but the quality is still marginal. It’s a tricky one.

Saturday, 25 July, stays small with 3ft from the SW, period dropping to 21 seconds—still a long-period groundswell. The wind is onshore from the WSW at 6 mph, so it’s not clean. The energy is moderate (758 for the morning). Not a standout.

Sunday, 26 July, through to Wednesday, 29 July, is a steady run of small SW swell, 3ft to 4ft, with periods between 16 and 19 seconds. The problem is persistent cross-onshore wind from the SW or SSW at 6 to 9 mph. The combined energy stays in the moderate range (500-1014), but every session is flagged as marginal. The mornings are usually the better call, but there’s nothing clean. The swell is too small and the wind is just wrong.

Thursday, 30 July, the swell drops to 3ft in the morning, then 3ft in the afternoon. The period is 15 seconds, but the afternoon session is flagged as poor surf conditions—zero score. That’s a session to skip.

Friday, 31 July, we see a slight increase to 4ft in the afternoon from the SSW, period 14 seconds, with a light cross-onshore breeze. The combined energy is moderate (742 for the afternoon). Still marginal.

Now, Saturday, 1 August, brings a bit of a bump in size—6ft in the morning from the SSW, period 13 seconds. That’s getting into the “too big for beginners” zone, but it’s still marginal. The wind is onshore from the west at 6 mph, with combined energy at 999 (moderate towards strong). The afternoon is similar at 5ft with a onshore WNW breeze at 9 mph. Not the cleanest, but if you’re desperate, it’s the biggest of the run.

The second week is a real drop-off. From Sunday, 2 August, the swell steadily fades from 4ft down to 1ft by Tuesday, 4 August. The period also drops to 10-12 seconds, then 9 seconds. The combined energy falls into the weak range (100-200s). By Tuesday afternoon, 4 August, we’re looking at 1ft from the WSW with a period of 15 seconds, but the combined energy is a weak 158. Poor conditions. This trend continues through to Friday, 7 August, with tiny waves (1ft to 2ft) and a mix of onshore and cross-onshore wind. The swell direction swings to S and SW, but it’s just not happening.

The real standout? Honestly, there isn’t a true standout in this forecast. The best on offer is probably Saturday, 1 August, with the biggest swell of the run (6ft from the SSW), but the wind is onshore, and the quality is still marginal. The early morning of Thursday, 23 July, is the cleanest of the bunch with a 4ft SSW swell and 13-second period, but the onshore wind holds it back. If you’re a patient surfer who doesn’t mind lumpy, cross-onshore conditions, you might find a few peaks, but the crowds are often around, so don’t expect a quiet session.

No surf to chase here for the next two weeks—this is a stretch of small, wind-affected waves that’s more likely to frustrate than reward.

Rusty.

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