Oceanside Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, paddle out and listen up. Rusty here. Let’s break down what Oceanside Pier has in store for the next 16 days. The first week is a bit of a slog. We’ve got a mix of small, weak swell and onshore breezes messing up the lineup. The water is a warm 72°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – you can leave the wetsuit at home.

Looking at Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th, the waves are barely reaching 3 feet, but the wind is straight onshore, making it a choppy mess. The combined swell energy is moderate, hitting 490, but it’s not doing us any favors. Sunday the 19th is a little better, with a 3 foot SW swell and a combined energy of 951, but it's still cross-on and only marginal. Monday the 20th sees a little bump with a 5 foot SSW swell, but the period is a short 12 seconds and the wind is cross-on, keeping it a tough paddle. The whole first week is a write-off for a proper session.

Now, things start to get interesting around Friday the 24th of July. That morning we see a 2 foot SW groundswell with a very long period of 24 seconds, pumping the combined energy up to 1111. That’s a solid, moderate energy. The wind is straight onshore, but with that long period, the sets will be clean and powerful. This is the first real standout window. Because of that long period, the waves will be a bit tricky at the beach break, but the shape could be decent.

The highlight of the whole forecast, though, is the weekend of the 26th and 27th of July. Sunday the 26th has a 3 foot SSW swell with a 19-second period, and the combined energy is a hefty 1267. The wind is a light cross-on, so it’s just a little texture on the face. Then Monday the 27th morning is the absolute peak: a 4 foot SSW swell, 18-second period, and a massive combined energy of 1426. The wind is a light cross-on again, keeping it clean. This is the best on offer – a solid, long-period groundswell with workable conditions. It’s the one to circle.

The tail end of the run, into the 31st of July and the 1st of August, shows some fun sized waves, but the wind continues to be a cross-on issue and the period drops off. The 31st has a 6 foot S swell, which is getting big, but the period is only 14 seconds and the cross-on wind will make it a bumpy, challenging session for anyone but experts.

So, the early days are a dud. The standout is undoubtedly the 27th of July, with that punchy groundswell and light wind. Crowds are a possibility, as it's a consistent spot. It’s not a beginner’s window, with the swell over 5 feet, but for the experienced crew, it’s game on.

Rusty.

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