San Clemente Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright mate, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at San Clemente Pier.

First up, the water temp is sitting at 72°, which is a solid 4° warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s a fair bit warmer than normal, so you might not need the thickest wetsuit.

Honestly, the next week and a half is looking pretty flat and uninspiring. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak swells and mostly cross-onshore winds that’ll keep things messy. The wave energy is weak, with values mostly in the 100-400 range, and the swell heights are hovering around 1 ft to 3 ft. The period is up there, with some long-period groundswell in the 14-19 second range, which would normally be a good sign, but there just isn’t enough size to do anything with it. The pier is exposed, so it’s seeing what’s out there, but there’s not much to get excited about. The first few days from Wednesday the 19th through to the 28th of August are mostly "poor" or "marginal" with the odd light offshore in the morning, but the swell is just too small. There’s a gap of over a week of really underwhelming surf.

Things start to look a little more promising around Saturday the 29th of August. The swell bumps up to 4 ft to 4 ft from the SSW, with a period of 16-17 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 787 (moderate), which is a big step up from what we’ve seen. The winds are a bit of a letdown though, with a light cross-onshore in the morning and a gentle breeze in the afternoon. That’ll put some bumps on the face, but it’s not terrible. The size is still manageable for most surfers, not too big for beginners, and the long period means there’ll be some push and good shape, but expect longer waits between sets.

Sunday the 30th of August keeps the same sort of swell, around 4 ft to 4 ft from the SSW, with a 15-second period. The wind on Sunday afternoon actually turns onshore, which is a bonus, and the energy is still decent at 617. This could be a nice window if you pick your moment. The crowd situation at the Pier is often busy, so expect company.

The standout here is definitely Saturday the 29th of August. The swell direction from the SSW is a good match for the optimum SW direction, and while the wind isn’t perfect, it’s light enough that it won’t ruin it. The water is warm, and the moderate energy (787) means there’s enough juice to get a few good ones. Just watch out for the long period – it’s a groundswell, so it’ll be better for the points and reefs, but the Pier can handle it. It’s not a world-class day, but it’s the best on offer in this 16-day window.

After that, the swell drops back down again, with weaker energy and smaller waves through the start of September. The first few days of September are back to the same small, cross-onshore conditions.

So, bottom line: wait for that Saturday the 29th of August. It’s not a classic, but it’s the only real chance to get something half-decent. The rest of the time, you’re better off doing something else.

Rusty.

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