Pipeline Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve got the skinny on the local surf scene. We’re looking at Pipeline, and it’s a slow start, no two ways about it.

The first real chance of a surfable wave doesn’t roll in until Thursday morning, August 20th. Before that, it’s a wasteland. We’re talking a solid run of days from today, Friday the 14th, all the way through Wednesday the 19th, with nothing worth paddling out for. It’s small, it’s messy, and the wind is just howling cross-off at times. You’d be wasting your time.

But then, things start to flicker to life. On Thursday the 20th, the energy finally shows up. The combined energy jumps to (207), which is moderate, and we get a clean little 2ft swell from the SSW with a 18-second period – that’s a proper groundswell. The wind is a gentle breeze from the ENE, so it’s cross-off but light. The wave comment says “expect good surf conditions,” which is the first positive note we’ve had. This is a glimmer of hope.

Into Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd, the swell ticks up to 2ft to 3ft, still from the SSW/SW, with periods holding around 16 to 17 seconds. The combined energy builds to 325 on Friday morning and 335 on Saturday morning, which is solid, moderate energy. Winds stay light to gentle, keeping the surface clean. Now, here’s the important part: Pipeline is an exposed reef. That long-period groundswell from the SSW is going to wrap in nicely. With these sizes, it’s perfect for a more advanced surfer – it’s not scary big, but it’s got that long-period punch. Remember, that groundswell can draw up some nice, jacking walls on the reef. The crowds? At Pipeline, they’re *often* there, so be ready to battle for your waves.

The standout of the whole run is probably the stretch from Thursday the 20th through the weekend. But hold on, there’s a bigger pulse brewing for the following week. On Tuesday the 25th of August, the swell bumps up to a clean 3ft from the SSW, but the combined energy jumps way up to (556) – that’s strong energy, no doubt. The period is still a nice 16 seconds. The only issue is the wind picks up to a fresh breeze out of the ENE, which is still cross-off, but it’ll be a bit more textured. That 3ft onto Pipeline. That’s getting into the territory where beginners should stay on the beach. It’s going to be a powerful, barreling wave for the experts who can handle it.

All in all, don’t bother this week. Your best bets are the morning windows from Thursday the 20th to Sunday the 23rd, with the real solid, punchy session looking like Tuesday the 25th morning. It’s a long wait, but when that south swell lights up the reef, it’ll be worth it.

Stay frothy,
Rusty

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