Pismo Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’m looking at the next 16 days here, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s pretty quiet. Don’t get your hopes up for any pumping swell. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak waves ahead, so you’ll really have to pick your moments.

We’re starting off with Pismo Beach Pier right now, and it’s not much to write home about. The water temp is sittin’ at 62°, which is about average for this time of year, so that’s one small win. The swell is tiny, coming from the southwest with a super long period of 19 seconds. That kind of long-period groundswell usually means better shape, but with size only at 2ft, it’s barely gonna peel. The combined swell energy is weak at 317. The morning winds are light, but they’re cross-onshore, so expect a few ripples on the surface. Overall, the wave comment calls it marginal at best – it’s a struggle.

Moving through Friday the 7th and into Saturday the 8th, it’s more of the same story: 2ft to 2ft of SW swell, long periods in the 16-18 second range, but the energy is still low. Winds stay light and cross-onshore, keeping the surf a bit bumpy. It’s not going to be a washout, but there’s nothing to get excited about.

Sunday the 9th morning shows a brief shift with a light offshore wind from the WSW – that’ll clean things up nicely. The wave comment is still marginal though, with the swell barely hitting 2ft from the SW. By the afternoon, the swell direction swings to the WNW and the period drops to 10 seconds, which is pretty short and junky, even with the energy climbing slightly to 392. Paddling out won’t be hard, but the waves will be weak and fat.

Monday the 10th is probably the best bet of the whole outlook. The morning has the biggest swell we’ll see, at 4ft from the WNW with a 10-second period. The winds are light and offshore (SW), so the break should be clean. The combined energy hits 368 – still moderate, but it’s the pick of the bunch. Still, it’s only a marginal call, and not big enough to get excited about, but if you’re desperate for a small wave, this is your window.

From Tuesday the 11th through the end of the second week, it’s all downhill. Swell sizes hover around 2ft to 3ft, with periods bouncing between 14 and 19 seconds. The wind stays mostly cross-onshore or slightly offshore, but the wave quality is consistently listed as poor or marginal. The energy readings climb a bit in a few spots (e.g., 483 on the 15th), but it’s all from small, short-period slop. By the time we hit the 15th of August, the wind picks up to a gentle cross-onshore breeze, and things get choppy.

The second week looks like a dead zone. From the 17th onward, we see poor conditions day after day with moderate breezes and chop. Thursday the 22nd ends the period with more of the same: 2ft from the SW, light offshore wind, but the wave comment is just marginal. There’s nothing here that screams “go surf now.”

Honestly, if you’re into kiting, those bumpy, onshore days with moderate wind might be more fun than paddling. For the rest of us, keep the board in the car and wait for better days. Forecasts can change, so don’t lose hope, but this run looks pretty blank overall.

- Rusty

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