Ocean Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee, let’s see what’s coming our way over the next couple of weeks.

The story starts up on Tuesday the 21st of July. It’s not going to blow your mind, but we’ve got something to work with. The standout early in the run is Ocean Beach Pier (O-B-pier). The water temperature is sitting at a balmy 73°, which is a full 5° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s very unusual and honestly, it feels like bath water out there.

The first surf worth mentioning is on Tuesday morning. We’ve got a solid, long-period groundswell coming in from the SW at 4ft. The period is 16 seconds, which is very long, so expect proper lines with good energy and longer gaps between sets – makes paddling out a bit easier. Wave energy is moderate (629). The wind is light from the WSW and offshore, so the morning session should be clean. The guidance says this spot is consistent, exposed to the swell, and the optimum direction is from the W, and this SW swell is close enough. The downside? Crowds are often a factor here, so expect company. The waves might be a bit tricky with the tide on the morning, but it’s the best we’ve got early on.

Tuesday afternoon turns less appealing – the wind picks up from the WNW at 12 mph, going cross-onshore, and the surf drops a touch. The rest of the week into the weekend stays in that marginal zone. Wednesday and Thursday see similar small swells (3ft to 4ft) with cross-onshore winds, keeping things choppy and average. The period remains decent through Friday the 24th of July, with a 24-second monster period showing up, but the swell height is tiny – only 2ft to 2ft. Wave energy is still moderate (823 down to 634). The light cross-onshore breeze keeps it rideable but not epic. That super long period on such small waves will make them look better in the water than on paper.

The first spot of real hope comes around Sunday the 26th of July morning. The swell bumps back up a little to 3ft from the SW, with a 19-second period. The wind is a light cross-onshore from the SSW at 6 mph. Energy climbs to a solid 929. It’s still not perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction. Monday the 27th has similar size, but a moderate cross-shore breeze from the SSW at 12 mph will put a bit of chop on the face. The standout window in the first week might be the morning of Tuesday the 28th of July. Swell hits 4ft from the SW, 17-second period, and the energy tips into strong territory (1089). Wind is a gentle cross-shore from the S. It’s cleanish and has more push. This is likely the best morning in the first week – heads up, it’s not perfect, but it’s the pick.

After that, we drift into a quieter spell. Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th are marginal again with small swells and light winds. Then, on Friday the 31st of July, we get the most intriguing option of the whole run from a size perspective. The morning shows 5ft from the SSW, period 14 seconds, with a light cross-onshore breeze. Wave energy is moderate (910). The afternoon jumps to 5ft from the SSW, with an offshore wind from the WNW at 9 mph. That’s the biggest swell of the forecast, and with offshore wind, it could shape up really well. However, it’s a late July call and still a week away, so don’t bet the farm on it yet – promising but uncertain.

Heading into August, the first weekend (1st and 2nd August) drops off. Saturday the 1st has poor conditions with small, weak swell and no real energy. Sunday the 2nd is small again (2ft) but with a light cross-onshore breeze – a mess. Monday the 3rd of August sees the wind pick up to 12 mph from the SSW, cross-shore, with tiny waves. It’s a big blank run from Saturday the 1st through Wednesday the 5th of August. The energy drops down into the low 200s (weak), and there just isn’t enough swell to get excited about. The break is a beach and reef setup, so with this lack of swell and the stronger wind, it looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing during that final run.

So to wrap it up: your best chance for a proper wave is the morning of Tuesday the 28th of July for a cleanish, moderate-sized session, and keep an eye on the afternoon of Friday the 31st of July for the biggest and cleanest swell this far out. The rest is mostly small and marginal.

Stay stoked.

Rusty

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