Ocean Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – the next week and a half at Ocean Beach Pier is a real struggle. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak, and messy surf, and it’s going to take some patience. The first real glimmer of anything decent doesn’t show up until late in the run, and even then it comes with some strings attached.

The water’s sitting at 71° – that’s about 4° warmer than normal for this time of year, so it’s notably warm. The first few days, from Thursday the 9th right through to the morning of Wednesday the 15th, are a write-off. Swell is tiny, mostly 1ft to 3ft from the SW, with a period around 15 seconds. The combined energy is weak, sitting between 217 and 620 (moderate energy only on the first morning). Winds are cross or cross-onshore, keeping things choppy and messy. There’s no standout session here – it’s just not worth paddling out.

Then on Wednesday the 15th, we get a tiny window. The afternoon shows 2ft from the SW with a 16-second period and glassy conditions. Combined energy is still weak at 220, but with no wind and clean conditions, it’s a chance for a few long-period lines. The period is over 15 seconds, so the waves will be drawn out and better for a point or reef setup, but at a beach-and-reef break like Ocean Beach Pier, they can break a bit straight. Still, it’s the best we’ve seen. Crowds are often an issue here, so expect company.

Friday the 17th afternoon also goes glassy, with 2ft from the SW and a 14-second period. Combined energy is weak at 219. Again, clean and rideable, but not inspiring.

Now, the real event is on Sunday the 19th. The morning shows 4ft from the SSW with a 19-second period and combined energy of 1596 (strong energy). Winds are light cross-onshore. By the afternoon, it jumps to 7ft from the SSW, 17-second period, and combined energy of 2275 (very strong energy). Winds are light and onshore, so it won’t be glassy, but this is a proper groundswell. The period is over 15 seconds, so the waves have serious push and shape. At 7ft, it’s getting into expert territory – too big for beginners. The swell direction matches the optimum from the SW, so the pier should line up well. This is the standout.

Monday the 20th holds 7ft to 7ft from the SSW with a 14-second period, and combined energy around 1559 to 1801 (strong to very strong energy). Winds are light cross-onshore. Again, expert-only size. The swell period drops, so the waves will be a bit more manageable but still powerful.

After that, it fades quickly. Tuesday the 21st drops to 4ft, and by Wednesday the 22nd we’re back to 3ft and weak energy. The rest of the forecast is poor to marginal.

Best bet: Sunday the 19th into Monday the 20th for the biggest, most powerful swell. Thursday the 15th and Friday the 17th afternoons for a glassy, small-wave session. Everything else is a skip.

Rusty.

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