Pipeline Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Right out of the gate, I gotta be straight with you – the surf is looking pretty flat and underwhelming for a while. We’re looking at a long, slow start with nothing really worth paddling out for. The first few days are a write-off. Conditions are clean, but the swell is tiny and the wind is a stiff cross-off breeze, so we’re not getting any quality. It’s going to be a frustrating stretch.

We’ve got a bit of a gap here. From Sunday the 5th, through to almost the end of the first week, the wave energy is weak (values between 15 and 747). The water temp is sitting at 79°, which is right about average for this time of year, so no complaints there.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until around Tuesday the 14th. The energy starts building back up into the moderate range (around 670), and we’re seeing a pulse of groundswell from the W with a 16-second period. That’s a long period, which means better shaped waves and more power, but it can make things a bit too straight at the beach. The wind is still cross-off, but it’s dropping to a moderate breeze, so the surface should stay clean.

The standout in this whole forecast is Pipeline (Pipeline). It’s a reef break, exposed to the swell, and it’s been fairly consistent. The best window looks like Tuesday the 14th through to Thursday the 16th. We’re looking at 2ft to 3ft of swell from the W and SW, with a period holding around 16 seconds. The energy is solidly in the moderate range (values between 565 and 726). The wind stays cross-off, so the wave faces will be clean. This is the best on offer, but keep in mind – Pipeline is an advanced wave, and crowds are often a problem. It’s not big, but it’s got that long-period energy that makes it punchy.

Beyond that, into the second week, things start to fade again. The swell drops back down, and the energy weakens. By Monday the 20th, we’re back to barely a ripple. It’s a bit of a tease, but if you’ve got a window around the middle of the month, that’s your go.

Rusty out.

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