Oceanside Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for Oceanside Pier. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, so let’s get into it.

We’re looking at a stretch of mostly marginal conditions, with a few windows that might get you out. The overall pattern is a long, drawn-out period of small, choppy surf with a lot of cross-onshore wind. There’s a gap in real quality, with a few days of poor surf in the very beginning before we get to anything rideable.

For Wednesday morning, July 22nd, we’ve got some clouds and a cross-on wind from the west at 12 mph. The swell is a weak 3 ft from the SSW, with a period of 14 seconds. The combined energy (553) is moderate, but the wind is making a mess of it – poor surf conditions, choppy and bumpy. Not worth paddling out.

By Wednesday afternoon, the wind drops to a gentle breeze at 9 mph, still cross-on, but the surf is still marginal. The swell is 3 ft from the SSW, but the energy climbs a bit (627). Still, it’s a fight.

Thursday morning, July 23rd, is a bit better. The wind swings to the WSW at 6 mph, going onshore, but the swell bumps up to 4 ft from the south, with a decent 13-second period. The energy is moderate (642). It’s a “marginal” call, but if you’re desperate, you might find a few.

Friday morning, July 24th, sees a small 2 ft swell from the SW, but the period spikes to 24 seconds – that’s a very long period groundswell. The energy is high (954), but the wind is light onshore from the SW. This long period stuff can be tricky at a beach break like the Pier, tending to close out a bit. It’s a “marginal” forecast, but might have some juice if you’re on the right bank.

The weekend (July 25th-26th) is more of the same: small waves (3 ft to 3 ft) with cross-on winds, mostly poor to marginal. Not the best.

Now, the first real standout comes on Monday, July 27th. The morning sees some clouds, but the wind is light onshore from the SW at 9 mph. The swell is 4 ft from the SW, with a solid 18-second period. The combined energy is strong (1050). This is the best quality we’ve seen so far, with a moderate wave energy. The afternoon is similar, with a light breeze from the WSW, keeping things a bit cleaner. The energy is even higher (1093). This is the pick of the first week.

Tuesday, July 28th, is also decent. The swell is 4 ft from the SSW, with a 17-second period, and the wind is light onshore from the SW in the morning. The energy is strong (1035). Afternoon has a gentle cross-on breeze, but still a solid option.

The swell fades a bit through the end of July, with smaller waves (3 ft to 4 ft) and longer periods (15-16 seconds). The wind is light and onshore, making for some clean-ish but small conditions.

The next standout is around Friday, July 31st, in the afternoon. The swell jumps to 5 ft from the south, with a 14-second period, and the wind is onshore from the WSW at 9 mph. The energy is strong (1077). This is a bigger swell, getting into intermediate territory, but the wind is onshore, so it won’t be perfect. It’s a marginal call.

Saturday, August 1st, sees the biggest swell of the forecast: 6 ft from the south, with a 13-second period. The wind is cross-on from the west at 9 mph. The energy is very strong (1200). This is a solid size, pushing into expert territory. The wind is a bit messy, but there will be power. This is the second true standout of the outlook.

After that, it drops off a cliff. From Sunday, August 2nd, through to Wednesday, August 6th, we’re looking at poor surf conditions. The swell drops to 2 ft to 2 ft, with weak energy (166 to 246). The wind is light onshore but mostly cross-on, making for small, choppy junk. Not worth your time.

So, to sum it up, the best windows are Monday, July 27th through Tuesday, July 28th for clean-ish, moderate waves, and Saturday, August 1st for the biggest size. The rest is a grind.

Stay safe, and keep an eye on the buoys.

Rusty.

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