Pico Alto Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

The window kicks off on Thursday, July 30th, with a steady but not amazing pulse of swell. The real standout in this whole period is a solid, clean window that begins to develop around the 6th of August and holds into the 7th, and then there’s a very interesting long-period groundswell that lines up for the 14th of August. Outside of these, expect a lot of marginal conditions, so patience is key.

Pico Alto is the only game in town here. The first real chance to get wet is Thursday, July 30th afternoon. We’ve got a 4ft SW swell rolling in at a solid 12-second period, pushing a moderate combined wave energy of 693. The wind is a cross-shore from the south at 15 km/h, which will keep it decent but with a bit of a cross-chop. The water is a balmy 71°, which is a massive 9° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, so you’ll be surfing in a bath. Friday the 31st is a write-off with poor conditions, so give it a miss.

Saturday, August 1st morning sees a bit more size, with 5ft of S swell, but it’s short-period at 8 seconds and the wind is light offshore from the WSW. This could make for some clean, peaky walls, but the short period means it might be a bit fat and closed out on the takeoff. It’s a marginal call, but a chance for a paddle.

The real promise starts showing up on Thursday, August 6th. The afternoon session brings a 4ft SW swell with a very long 16-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 1074, which is strong. You’ve got light cross-shore winds from the south at 10 km/h. This is a classic groundswell setup for a reef like Pico Alto – long lines, heavy barrels, but the long period can make it a bit tricky to get into the rhythm. The sets will be fat and powerful, and the gaps between them will give you time to get out the back. This is for advanced surfers only. Friday, August 7th morning holds 5ft of SW swell at 14 seconds, but the wind turns slightly cross-onshore, so it won’t be as clean. The afternoon of the 7th is still decent with a cross-shore breeze.

The clear standout to circle on your calendar, however, is Friday, August 14th morning. We’re looking at a 3ft SW swell, but the period is a massive 18 seconds. The combined energy is still a strong 898. That’s a very long-period groundswell, and on a reef like Pico Alto, that means raw power and steep, ledgey takeoffs. The wind is light and cross-onshore from the SW, so it won’t be glassy, but it won’t be blown out either. This is a promising, long-range call for the experts to get some serious, heavy waves. The 14th afternoon is a bit more chopped up with a stronger cross-onshore wind.

The rest of the period is a grind of marginal conditions, low energy, and poor surf. Don’t expect much on the 8th, 9th, or 10th – it’s mostly small and weak. There’s a little spike of short-period stuff on the 11th and 12th, but nothing to write home about.

So, to sum it up: the best bet is the afternoon of Thursday, August 6th, with the cleanest conditions and the strongest energy. The backup is the very long-period groundswell on the morning of Friday, August 14th, though it’s a bit less certain being so far out. This is all expert-level territory when it gets solid, and while Pico is rarely crowded, expect a few locals on the good days.

Stay frothy.
Rusty.

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