Strand (Pipe) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break down what’s headed toward Strand (Pipe) for the next couple of weeks. It’s a beach-and-reef setup that’s exposed to the swell and likes it coming from the southwest. Water temp is around 58°F, which is a touch cooler than average for this time of year – about 2°F off, so you’ll want a good wetsuit.

We’ve got a slow start. The first few days are small and crossed-up – not worth your time. But hold tight, because things fire up on Tuesday, September 1st.

That Tuesday morning is the standout. Swell hits 6ft from the SSW with a long 14-second period, packing a solid punch (1291 combined energy). Best of all – it’s glassy. Dead calm. That’s going to be clean as a whistle and the pick of the whole forecast. This is for experienced surfers only. The afternoon gets a bit bigger at 7ft, but the wind turns cross-onshore, so the morning is the window.

Wednesday the 2nd keeps that same swell going – around 6-6ft from the SW, 13-second period – but the wind stays cross-shore, making it a little lumpy. Still rideable for intermediates.

Thursday the 3rd brings a change. Swell drops to 5ft, period shortens to 9 seconds, and there’s light rain. The morning is cross-off and clean, but the afternoon gets nasty – a solid 10ft from the SSE with a fresh 22 mph breeze. That’s expert-only and messy. Friday the 4th is more of the same: big, windy, blown-out. 8-10ft with short period and strong cross-off wind. Not fun.

Saturday the 5th is weird. Morning has 7ft of short-period SE windswell with offshore wind, but only 7 seconds of period (487 energy), so it’s weak and crumbly. Then the afternoon drops to 2ft but with a ridiculous 23-second groundswell from the SSW (910 energy). That’s a very long period – at a beach-and-reef break, it might run too straight, but the energy is there. Clean conditions, but tiny.

Sunday the 6th is another offshore day with 5ft from the SSW at 16 seconds – long-period, energy-packed (1349). Fresh offshore wind keeps it clean, but that period might make it a bit straight at Strand.

Monday the 7th is a sleeper. Swell is only 4ft from the S, 12-second period, but both morning and afternoon are glassy or near calm. Clean, fun waves, not a big swell but quality.

From Tuesday the 8th onward, it gets quiet. Swell drops below 3ft through mid-month, with some glassy mornings but very small – 1ft to 3ft. There’s a little bump up to 3ft around Saturday the 12th with clean conditions, so small-wave gear is the call.

By the 13th and 14th of September, the wind turns ugly – fresh cross-shore and cross-onshore, lumpy and choppy, with swell around 5-7ft but poor quality. Monday the 15th has a brief window of glassy 5ft from the S, but it’s short-period and nothing special.

The one to circle is Tuesday morning, September 1st – that 6ft SSW groundswell with glassy conditions is the real deal. Monday the 7th is a solid backup for clean, smaller waves. The rest is either too big and windy or too small and weak.

– Rusty

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