Pismo Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s take a look at what’s cooking at Pismo Beach Pier over the next couple weeks. Honestly, the first half of this forecast period is looking pretty flat and grim – there’s a long stretch of days where the waves just aren’t worth paddling out for. You’re looking at a dry spell from now all the way through to about the middle of next week, so don’t rush to wax up.

Right now, on Thursday the 20th of August, we’ve got tiny, weak swell at only 2 feet from the southwest with a period of 14 seconds. The combined swell energy is weak at 360, and the wind is a steady 15 km/h from the WNW, blowing cross-onshore and making things choppy. Water temp is 62°F, which is about average for this time of year. It’s poor surf – not worth getting wet for.

Friday the 21st shows a bump up to 4 feet from the WNW, but the period drops way off to just 7 seconds – that’s a short-period, weak windswell, not the good stuff. Energy climbs a bit to 385, but it’s still cross-onshore and choppy. Later in the day the wind goes cross-shore, but the waves are still below par. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd are more of the same – messy, weak surf in the 4 to 5 foot range, all cross-onshore. The best I can say is Sunday morning has light wind at 10 km/h, but the swell is short-period and choppy.

Monday the 24th has a weird one – a 2 foot swell but with a long period of 18 seconds from the SW. That’s a groundswell, so there’s energy (406), but it’s so small it’s barely a ripple, and the wind is still cross-onshore. By Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th, we’re still stuck in the same pattern – tiny, poor surf with constant cross-onshore winds. Not much to get excited about.

Finally, we start seeing a glimmer on Thursday the 27th of August. The swell picks up to 4 feet from the SSW with a nice 14-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 1146 – that’s moderate-to-strong energy. The wind is cross-shore and light, so it’s a little cleaner. This is the best of the first week, but it’s still marginal due to tide conditions. Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th hold similar sized swell (3 to 3 feet) from the SW with long periods (12-17 seconds), and light winds on a few mornings. It’s not pumping, but it’s at least surfable.

Then we hit another patch of poor surf from Sunday the 30th through to Wednesday the 2nd of September. The swell bumps up to 4 to 7 feet from the WNW, but the period is short (8 seconds) and the wind stays cross-onshore. Energy is moderate (401-891), but the quality just isn’t there.

Now, the standout window – but with a major caveat – is Thursday the 3rd of September. The afternoon shows a solid 10 foot swell from the WNW with very strong combined energy of 1340. The wind is light and cross-onshore. Here’s the thing: that’s way too big for this break, and the file itself calls it out – it’s only for experts. The swell is coming from WNW, which matches the optimum direction for Pismo Beach Pier, but at that size it’s going to be a beast. If you’re a seasoned charger, that could be your session, but beginners need to stay well clear.

Friday the 4th of September drops back to 6 to 7 feet from the WNW, still with light winds, but it’s again marginal – not the clean, groomed surf we’d hope for.

To wrap it up: if you’re itching for a paddle, the best bet in this entire 16-day run is Thursday the 27th of August for a chance at some long-period, chest-high waves with light cross-shore wind. It’s not perfect, but it’s the closest we get to something decent. The big swell on the 3rd of September is a high-risk, high-reward proposition for experts only. Otherwise, be patient – this area can turn around quickly, and forecasts do change.

Stay frothy.
Rusty.

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