Pismo Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, lookin' at the charts for the next couple of weeks down at Pismo Beach Pier. Gotta be straight with you – it's a real mixed bag of mostly small, weak conditions with a few flickers of hope. The water's sittin' at 58°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you might wanna grab that extra spring suit.

The outlook starts off pretty flat and uninspiring. Sunday the 12th and Monday the 13th are offering tiny surf around 2 ft to 3 ft from the SW, with a light cross-on breeze. The combined energy is weak, (360 to 287), and the wave comment is "poor". Not worth paddling out for.

The first real bump in the road comes Wednesday the 15th. The swell picks up a bit, hitting 5 ft from the WNW, but it's backed by a junky 7-second period. The combined energy climbs to moderate (391), but it's all cross-shore chop and poor surf. By Wednesday afternoon it's pushing 7 ft from the WNW, but still that short period and a moderate cross-shore wind. That's big enough for experts only, but the quality is just not there. It looks more like a kite surfing session than a wave-riding day.

Thursday the 16th is a little better with a 6 ft to 7 ft WNW swell, but again, the period is short (8 seconds) and the wind is cross to cross-on. The energy is solid (673 to 842), but it's gonna be a messy, choppy mess. Not your classic Pismo peelers.

Now, Friday the 17th morning is where things get interesting. The wind finally swings offshore (WSW) at a light 6 mph, and we've got a 4 ft WNW swell. The combined energy is moderate (451). It's a marginal call, but that offshore wind is the best we've seen. This is a standout for the first week if you're desperate for a wave.

Honestly, the next stretch from Saturday the 18th through Tuesday the 22nd is a bit of a lull. Swells drop back to 2 ft to 3 ft, mainly from the SW, with long periods (16-17 seconds) but very weak energy. It's mostly crossed-on, and the surf is marginal at best.

Hold on to your boards for Wednesday the 22nd afternoon. That's the real gem in the whole forecast. The wind goes glassy, the swell is a clean 3 ft from the SSW with a 15-second period, and the combined energy is moderate (524). The wave comment says "expect very good surf conditions." This is the best on offer. For a couple of hours, Pismo is going to be clean, lined up, and a joy to surf. It's a Wednesday afternoon, so crowds might be manageable, but it can get busy "sometimes", so get out there.

The final week from Thursday the 23rd to Monday the 27th is a slow fade. Swell sizes hang around 2 ft to 4 ft from the SSW, with periods dropping from 14 to 12 seconds. Winds are mostly light cross-on, and the conditions are marginal. The energy stays moderate (300-800). Nothing to write home about.

So, to wrap it up: the best bet is the glassy Wednesday afternoon session on the 22nd. Second best is the offshore morning on Friday the 17th. Outside of that, it's a waiting game.

Rusty.

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