Strand (Pipe) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a solid 16-day window for Strand (Pipe) and it’s got a bit of everything – from flat spells to some absolute bombs. Let’s break it down.

The start is slow. Monday the 13th is pretty ordinary. Sure, there’s a tiny 2.6ft SSW swell rolling in with glassy conditions, but it’s weak, with combined energy of only 181. It’s surfable, but you won’t be telling your mates about it. The water temp is sitting at 58.6°, which is a touch below average for this time of year, nothing too crazy.

We hit a bit of a gap Tuesday the 14th. The swell drops right off to 1.6ft and the wind goes cross-on. Not worth paddling out. That carries through to Wednesday morning, but then things start to get interesting. Wednesday afternoon the 15th is where we see our first real standout. The swell jumps to 5.9ft from the SW, and with a period of 16 seconds, this is proper groundswell pumping in. The wind goes glassy, and the combined energy hits a beefy 1536. This is excellent surf, but at 5.9ft, heading into the bigger range, it’s more for the experienced crew. Be aware that this long-period swell (over 15 seconds) will be better shaped and more powerful at Strand, which is a beach and reef setup, so keep an eye on those rip bowls.

Thursday the 16th keeps the quality up with a solid 5.2ft SW swell, glassy morning winds, and 933 combined energy. The afternoon gets a bit cross-on, so get it early. The rest of that week and into the weekend (17th–20th) stays in the 3.3ft to 4.6ft range with clean conditions, but nothing pushing the needle like that Wednesday.

Now, mark your calendars for Tuesday the 21st of July. This is the big one. We’re looking at a 7.5ft SSW swell with a 16-second period. The wind is glassy, and the combined energy is a massive 2750. This is a serious, powerful groundswell. The size and strength mean it’s expert territory only. It's going to be big, powerful, and look incredible. Wednesday the 22nd gets wrecked by a howling NNW wind (28 to 31 mph), so that day is a washout.

We get another window from Thursday the 23rd. The swell is still a solid 6.9ft, but the afternoon goes glassy again, making it excellent for experienced surfers. Friday the 24th is a bit of a write-off with onshore wind and chop.

The second week really shines on Saturday the 25th. A 4.6ft SW swell builds to 5.9ft in the afternoon, period hitting 15–16 seconds, and the wind is clean cross-off. The combined energy jumps to 1072, then 1495. This is another excellent, clean, powerful swell window for experienced surfers. Sunday the 26th keeps the fun going with glassy conditions and 5.2ft to 5.9ft SW swell. The week rounds out with more solid SW swell on Monday the 27th (though wind gets messy) and Tuesday the 28th, where we see a glassy morning with a 4.9ft, 15-second SW swell and 1145 energy – another excellent, clean session for the experienced.

The Pick: The absolute standout is Tuesday the 21st of July. The 7.5ft SSW groundswell with glassy conditions is the most powerful and cleanest swell of the entire forecast. Get on it if you’ve got the skills. The second best is Wednesday afternoon the 15th and Saturday the 25th for their excellent, clean conditions with strong, long-period SW swells.

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