Pismo Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Pismo Beach Pier over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you—this is a rough stretch. The forecast is pretty much a long, flat spell with a few pulses of size, but the wind is never your friend. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing wild there.

The first real chance to get wet comes in Wednesday morning, July 8th. There’s a 3ft swell from the southwest with a very long 16 second period, so you’re looking at clean, lined-up groundswell, but the energy is only moderate (928). The catch? It’s a cross-shore wind from the WNW at 12 mph, which is gonna put a bit of a chop on it. Not ideal, but it’s the best we’ve got early on. That afternoon, the swell jumps to 8ft but the period drops to 8 seconds, wind is still cross-shore, and it’s a messy, wind-affected wave. This one’s for advanced crew only if you’re determined.

Thursday July 9th is more of the same—6ft to 7ft, short period, cross-shore wind. The combined energy is moderate (818-940), but it’s just not clean. By Friday July 10th, the swell drops to 5ft, still from the WNW but with a light cross-onshore breeze. The energy is moderate (643). It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

Then we hit a real lull. From Saturday July 11th all the way through to Tuesday July 14th, the swell is tiny—2ft to 4ft—and the wind is onshore or cross-onshore. The energy drops into the 400s and 300s. It’s poor. On Wednesday July 15th, we get a little bump: 5ft to 7ft with a short period, but the wind is still cross-onshore, making it choppy. The energy is moderate (453-619), but the quality just isn’t there.

The one standout, if you can call it that, is Sunday July 19th. That afternoon, the wind goes glassy, absolutely flat calm. The swell is a tiny 3ft from the southwest with a very long 17 second period, and the energy is moderate (646). The description says “expect very good surf conditions,” and for a spot like this, that’s rare. With that long period, it’ll be clean and lined up, but it’s small. This is honestly the best the whole outlook has to offer—a little glassy window on a long-period groundswell. Crowds are possible here, so if you’re keen, get out there.

From Monday July 20th onward, it’s back to small, wind-affected junk. The energy fades into the 300s and 200s. By Thursday July 23rd, we’re looking at 2ft, and the whole thing just peters out.

So, bottom line: don’t expect much. The best bet is that glassy Sunday afternoon on July 19th. Other than that, it’s a long gap of marginal or poor surf. The wind just won’t let up, and the swell is either too short-period or too weak. If you’re a kiter, the cross-shore and cross-onshore days might be more interesting than for us paddle surfers.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on the forecasts.

Rusty.

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