Oceanside Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s shaping up at Oceanside Pier.

Right off the bat, honestly, it’s a pretty quiet start. We’ve got a bit of a flat spell to kick things off. The first glimmer of anything surfable shows up on Saturday afternoon, July 11th, but it’s nothing to get excited about. We’re looking at a small 3-foot SSW swell with a very long 15-second period pushing in. The water is sitting at 70°, which is a full 4° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s a pretty notable bump, almost like a warm bath. The catch is the wind is blowing onshore from the SSW at 6 mph, which is going to put a bit of a bump on the surface. The combined energy is moderate at 394, but the overall conditions are just marginal. That Saturday afternoon is the best of a weak bunch, but it’s really only for the die-hards.

From Sunday, July 12th, through to Friday, July 17th, the surf is frankly poor. The swell stays tiny, mostly around 2 to 3 feet, and the wind is a mess of cross-onshore or onshore breezes, creating choppy, bumpy conditions. The wave energy fluctuates, hitting a low of 184 on the 17th. It’s a real struggle for any kind of rideable wave. Kite surfers might find some interest in the steady cross-onshore wind, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a hard pass.

We finally get a bit of a pulse around Saturday, July 18th, with the swell holding at 3 feet from the SW, and the energy ramping up to 521. But again, the wind in the afternoon turns cross-onshore, keeping it as just a marginal prospect. This pattern of small, wind-affected surf continues right through to the 23rd.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The best day of the entire outlook looks like Thursday, July 23rd. The swell is only 3 feet from the SSW, but the wind goes completely glassy from the WNW at just 3 mph. The combined energy is low at 272, but when the ocean goes flat like that, you’ll get the cleanest, most pristine surface you could ask for. It’s the only window in the forecast that’s explicitly flagged as “good surf conditions.” If you can get out there that morning, you’ll be rewarded with the cleanest lines of the whole period, even if they aren’t big.

After that, we get a nice little run into the end of July. Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th see a bump in the swell size and a massive jump in energy, with the combined energy hitting 970 on the 25th morning. That’s moderate to strong energy. The swell is from the SW at 3 feet with a period of 21 seconds – that’s a nice, long-period groundswell. The wind is light cross-onshore, which is okay, but not glassy. Sunday the 26th also looks promising with a 4-foot SW swell and offshore wind from the SSW. The energy is up there at 938. This whole weekend from the 25th into the 26th is a proper standout for the longer range – though it’s a week and a half out, so keep an eye on it.

Bottom line: The first two weeks are mostly a write-off for decent waves. The standout is Thursday, July 23rd morning for the glassy, clean conditions. The real potential for size and power shows up in the final weekend, Saturday, July 25th and Sunday, July 26th, with a nice groundswell. Those are the ones to circle on the calendar.

Rusty.

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