Oceanside Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty.

We’ve got a bit of a slow burner here at Oceanside Pier for the next couple of weeks. The start of the period is pretty marginal, but there is a definite peak to aim for if you can wait it out.

We’ve got a warmer-than-normal ocean right now, sitting at 75°, which is a good 7° above average for this time of year. That’s pretty unusual and feels great in a spring suit.

The first few days are a write-off for anything proper. Friday and Saturday (September 4th & 5th) you’re looking at small 3ft swell from the SSW with a super long period of 16-17 seconds. The wave energy is building though, from 680 up to over 1000 by Saturday, but the reports are calling it marginal at best. Winds are light, but onshore or cross-on, so it’ll be a bit bumpy and weak.

Now, Sunday the 6th is where things start to get interesting. The swell bumps up to 6ft from the S, and the period drops to a solid 14 seconds. Combined energy jumps up to 1362 – that's a decent amount of push. The winds swing around to a moderate NNW breeze, turning cross-offshore. By Sunday afternoon, it gets even better: 7ft from the S with a period of 14 seconds, pushing the energy to a strong 1556, and the wind stays a clean cross-off. That is the standout window. It’s going to be a bit much for beginners at 7ft, but for the experienced crew, that Sunday afternoon is the call.

Monday the 7th drops off a bit; the swell hangs around 7ft to 7ft, but the wind goes cross-on again and gets choppy. Don't bother.

From Tuesday the 8th onward, it’s a steady decline. The swell drops below 6ft, and by Wednesday the 9th, we’re down to tiny 2ft junk. The wave energy falls off a cliff, dropping from four-digit numbers down to 558 and then even lower.

We hit a real flat spell from around the 12th of September right through until the end of the forecast. Swell heights barely scrape 2ft to 3ft, and the energy is weak, in the low hundreds. There will be almost nothing worth paddling out for from the second week onwards. There's a slight uptick in period at the very end (22 seconds on the 17th), but with only 1ft of swell, it’s just a faint pulse on a flat ocean. Not worth the drive.

So, to wrap it up: this week is mostly for the die-hards, but Sunday afternoon the 6th of September is your best bet. Head down for the clean 7ft south swell with that offshore wind. The rest of the run is a long, slow fade to nothing.

Rusty.

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