
Surf Forecasts:
Pismo Beach Pier surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 14 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 18s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 17s period, SW swell with 499 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 9 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 16s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Pismo Beach Pier this week:
The surf forecast for Pismo Beach Pier over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Pismo Beach Pier in the next 16 days are 0.9m 17s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Fri 14th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Sat 15th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pismo Beach Pier over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Pismo Beach Pier over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you: it’s a pretty flat and quiet stretch ahead. We’re looking at a long run of small, weak surf with questionable conditions. The first few days are all about knee-high slop, and the wind, while light, is mostly coming from the wrong direction, giving us a little cross-on bump. The water temp is pretty average for this time of year, nothing unusual to report.
The whole opening week is a tough watch. From Saturday the 8th right through to the following Friday the 14th, the swell is tiny, mostly around 2ft to 3ft. The combined energy is weak, sitting in the low hundred to mid-hundreds (305 to 440), and the period is all over the place, from a very long 18 seconds down to a short 10 seconds. That long period stuff from the SW is going to be too straight for this beach break, offering little shape. The best you can hope for is a cleanish 3ft on the Monday and Tuesday afternoons with a touch of groundswell, but it’s marginal at best. Honestly, for the first week, you’re better off doing something else.
The second week doesn’t get much better. We’ve got a run of poor surf from Saturday the 15th through to Monday the 17th, with the wind picking up to a moderate breeze making a mess of things. There’s a little bump of energy on the 18th, with a 5ft west-northwest windswell (combined energy 422), but the period is a short 7 seconds and the wind is cross-onshore. That’s ugly, choppy stuff. That pattern repeats on Wednesday the 19th.
The only real standout in the whole 16 days comes late in the game. On Friday the 21st, the afternoon shows a 5ft WNW swell (combined energy 662) with a light breeze. Sure, the period is a short 8 seconds, so it’s windswell, but the size is a step up from the rest of the dross. It’s still a cross-on wind, but it’s the biggest wave we’ll see. Keep an eye on that, but don’t hold your breath. The following Saturday and Sunday, the 22nd and 23rd, are more of the same: small, weak, and marginal.
The bottom line is, there’s no good surf to get excited about in this window. The conditions are consistently poor to marginal, and the swell is tiny. A 5ft windswell with a cross-on breeze is the closest we get to a highlight, and that’s saying something. The consistent lack of quality is a bit of a bummer, but it happens. Forecasts can change, so don’t write the whole thing off just yet.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sun afternoon, min 15°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | ||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 17 | SW 18 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SSW 13 | SW 14 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
243 | 246 | 173 | 258 | 181 | 189 | 178 | 164 | 164 | 133 | 125 | 197 | 194 | 138 | 163 | 206 | 157 | 218 | 188 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 8:35AM1.38m | 6:38PM2.22m | 9:20AM1.47m | 7:39PM2.32m | 9:58AM1.56m | 8:35PM2.39m | 10:34AM1.65m | 9:27PM2.40m | 11:09AM1.73m | 10:17PM2.33m | 11:43AM1.81m | 11:06PM2.19m | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:31AM0.30m | 11:57AM1.24m | 2:25AM0.14m | 1:14PM1.20m | 3:13AM0.02m | 2:19PM1.12m | 3:57AM-0.03m | 3:17PM1.02m | 4:38AM-0.02m | 4:11PM0.92m | 5:16AM0.07m | 5:04PM0.84m | |||||||
— | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | |
8:00 | — | 7:59 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:52 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 22 | 23 | 17 | 24 | 25 | 19 | 24 | 24 | 19 | 23 | 23 | 18 | 22 | 22 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 17 |
Feels °C | 15 | 22 | 23 | 17 | 24 | 25 | 19 | 24 | 24 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 18 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 20 | 19 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 17 | SW 18 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | NW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 |
243 | 246 | 173 | 258 | 181 | 189 | 178 | 164 | 164 | 103 | 65 | 108 | 77 | 127 | 145 | 124 | 84 | 218 | 158 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | WNW 5 | SW 12 | NW 8 | WNW 8 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 14 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
82 | 10 | 69 | 30 | 42 | 171 | 169 | 125 | 120 | 116 | 125 | 197 | 194 | 138 | 163 | 206 | 157 | 151 | 188 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | SW 12 | W 13 | SW 12 | NW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 20 | SW 19 | WNW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 13 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | WNW 12 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 |
7 | 49 | 14 | 50 | 29 | 32 | 31 | 19 | 134 | 133 | 26 | 61 | 56 | 83 | 24 | 23 | 56 | 34 | 33 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 4 | — | WNW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
6 | — | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 79 | 109 | 0 | 79 | 109 | 0 | 93 | 83 | 0 | 83 | 79 | 0 | 320 | 79 | 0 | 28 | 83 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Luis Obispo | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Pismo Beach Pier Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Pismo Beach Pier provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Pismo Beach Pier can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Pismo Beach Pier surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Pismo Beach Pier) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Pismo Beach Pier may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a vacation in San Luis Obispo? If you are looking for accommodation near Pismo Beach Pier, camping, hotels and condos and appartments in San Luis Obispo, consider staying in Arroyo Grande which is 5 km (3 miles) away. Other places in and around San Luis Obispo where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Port San Luis which is 11 km (7 miles) away, San Luis Obispo, Nipomo and Santa Maria.











