Pipeline Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let me level with you: the next couple of weeks are looking bleak for Pipeline. For the first week, honestly, it's pretty much a total loss. There's a real gap here, with days on end of poor conditions. From Wednesday the 8th right through to Sunday the 13th, you're looking at weak, sloppy surf. We're talking tiny swell, mostly between 0.7ft and 3ft, coming from the SSW or SW. The wind is a consistent cross-off from the E or ENE at 19 mph, which isn't doing us any favors. The wave energy is all over the place – from a pathetic 15 (weak) up to a moderate 403 (moderate wave energy) on Sunday the 12th, but it just doesn't matter with that wind and tiny size. It's all marked as poor surf conditions. The water temp is sitting at 79°, which is bang on average for this time of year.

Now, we do start to see a slight shift around Tuesday the 14th and Wednesday the 15th of July. The swell picks up a little, still small at 2ft to 3ft from the SW or W, and the energy climbs into the 500s – strong wave energy. But it's still a marginal call, and that cross-off wind from the ENE at 16-19 mph is still going to make it choppy and hard to read. It's not what you paddle out for, to be honest. It might be a better set-up for kite surfing than a proper paddle session given the cross-off breeze and the beach/reef combo.

The real standout, if you can call it that, is the period starting Thursday the 16th of July. The swell stays small, around 2ft, but the period stretches to 17 seconds out of the SSW. That's a long-period groundswell, and that's a hint of some real energy trying to push through. The combined energy is up there at 549 (strong). The problem is the wind remains a stiff cross-off from the ENE at 19 mph. It'll be clean on the face but side-shore messy. For an advanced crew at Pipeline, this might be the only window that's worth a look, but you'd be fighting the wind the whole time. It's a promising but tricky call.

After that, through the end of July, it fades again. The 18th and 19th drop right off, and we get a few days of near-flat conditions. The wave energy on the 18th morning is only 123 (weak). There's another tiny pulse around Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st, but it's all small (2ft to 2ft) and weak. Honestly, the only real bright spot is that the wind does ease a little, down to 12 mph from the E, but there's just no swell to work with. The forecast is dry and clear, but the ocean is asleep.

So, to wrap it up: the only real standout and the best on offer is the morning of Thursday, July 16th. A 2ft SSW groundswell at 17 seconds (long period) with moderate energy (549). But that cross-off wind is the deal-breaker. If you're a seasoned Pipeline surfer, you might get a few clean ones if the tide plays ball, but it's far from perfect. For everyone else, save your energy. The rest of the fortnight is a bust.

Rusty.

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