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’ll be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch ahead, with a lot of marginal to poor conditions on the cards. Don’t expect any fireworks, but there might be a couple of windows worth keeping an eye on.

The first real chance to get wet comes in on Thursday, September 3rd, but it’s not a pretty picture. We’ve got a 3ft swell from the southwest with a long 18-second period, which is a proper groundswell. The energy is moderate (544), but onshore winds from the WNW at 12 mph are chopping it up. The water is a balmy 75°, which is a massive 6° above normal – very unusual for this time of year. Honestly, it’s poor surf, so I’d be giving it a miss.

Friday, September 4th morning improves a little. The swell picks up to 3ft from the southwest, still with a long 17-second period. The wind is light and onshore from the west at 6 mph, but the models are flagging it as marginal. The energy is building (625). By the afternoon, it turns ugly again with a stronger onshore breeze.

Saturday, September 5th is the first day that shows a glimmer of hope. The morning is still a bit choppy with a cross-onshore breeze, but the Saturday afternoon session looks like the best of a bad bunch. The swell jumps to 4ft from the south with a 13-second period, and the energy is ramping up to a strong 1017. The wind is light and onshore from the WNW at 6 mph, keeping it messy, but it’s the highest score of the whole period. It’s still only marginal, but if you’re desperate, that’s your window.

From Sunday, September 6th through to Wednesday, September 9th, the swell holds around 4ft to 6ft, but it’s a complete write-off. The wind is a persistent cross-onshore from the NW at 9-12 mph, putting a chop on everything. The waves are there, but the quality is shot. The biggest swell of the run hits Sunday morning at 6ft from the SSW (14 seconds, energy 1280), but with that wind, it’s just a messy, blown-out wall. For a beach and reef setup like this, those conditions are more interesting for kite surfing than a proper paddle session.

Thursday, September 10th and Friday, September 11th see the swell drop back to 3ft, with a long 16-15 second period. The winds are variable and light, but the forecasts are still calling it marginal. The energy is fading (587 down to 540).

We then hit a solid dead zone. From Saturday, September 12th all the way through to Wednesday, September 16th, the models are showing poor surf conditions with very little energy. The swell drops to 2ft-2ft, and the wind is either onshore or cross-onshore. There’s nothing to chase here.

Thursday, September 17th and Friday, September 18th bring a slightly interesting twist. The swell is still tiny at 2ft-3ft, but the period jumps to a very long 20-22 seconds. That’s a super long-period groundswell. The energy is moderate (381-580). On a beach break like Ocean Beach Pier, a period that long can make the waves break too straight and close out. The wind is light onshore or cross-onshore, so it’s still poor overall. Not worth the paddle.

Bottom line: This is a grim 16 days for Ocean Beach Pier. The only session that even comes close to a recommendation is Saturday afternoon, September 5th, when the 4ft south swell and light winds offer a slim chance at a few lumpy ones. The rest is a write-off. The water is way warmer than normal, but that doesn’t help the waves. Hold tight, and check back – forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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