Pismo Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for our stretch of coast.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next week and a bit is gonna be a tough watch. The wind is mostly cross or cross-onshore, the swell is small and messy, and the wave energy is weak to moderate. True standout days are few and far between, but we do have a glimmer of hope way out there.

The water temp is sitting about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real chance of anything worthwhile doesn't show up until the morning of the 27th of August. We’ve got a stretch of nothing but poor to marginal conditions before that. The swell is small and the wind is just not playing ball.

Thursday the 27th of August is where things start to get interesting. At Pismo Beach Pier, we’ll see the swell start to push up. The morning has a solid 6 ft of WNW swell, and the afternoon bumps up to 8 ft from the same direction. The period is short, though, at 8 seconds, so it’ll be a bit bumpy and not the cleanest, but the energy is building (570 in the morning, 873 in the afternoon). The wind is still cross-onshore, so it’s gonna be a bit lumpy, but this is the first sign of life.

Now, if you can hold out for the Saturday the 29th of August, that’s where the real standout sits. The afternoon has a solid 8 ft of WNW swell, with the wave energy hitting a strong 1037. The period is still short at 8 seconds, but the size is there. The wind is cross-shore, so it’s not glassy, but it’s manageable. At 8 ft, this is expert territory – too big for beginners. Expect a powerful, chunky beach break.

Sunday the 30th of August also has some punch, with the afternoon seeing 7 ft of WNW swell and energy at 790. The wind is still cross-shore, so it remains a bit messy.

Beyond that, we roll into September with a drop in quality. The swell stays around 5 ft to 6 ft, but the period drops to 7 seconds and the wind stays cross or cross-onshore, making for poor conditions. It’s a frustrating end to the outlook.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. The best shots are on the afternoon of the 29th of August for the biggest, most powerful waves, and the afternoon of the 27th of August as the first real pulse comes through. Don’t expect perfection, but there’s some size to be found.

Rusty.

Read more