Strand (Pipe) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a long look at what's on the table for Strand (Pipe). This is a beach and reef setup that's fairly consistent, exposed to the SW, and it's got a bit of a colder feel right now with the water temperature anomaly sitting at -2°F, so that's a bit colder than normal for this time of year.

Right off the bat, we've got a nice little pulse of energy coming through. The combined swell energy is strong (1098), coming from the SSW with a very long period of 16 seconds. That's proper groundswell. It's 5ft, which is solid for intermediate surfers but getting a bit much for beginners. The real kicker here is the offshore wind from the ESE and clear skies on Sunday the 6th – it's gonna be clean. Just keep in mind with that 16-second period, it'll be best on the reef section as it might straighten out a bit on the beach.

Moving into Monday morning the 7th, it's glassy with a light WNW wind, and the swell holds at 4ft from the SSW, period dropping to 14 seconds. That's still very good surf, and the combined energy is moderate to strong (671). The afternoon looks clean too with a cross-off wind, but it's a touch smaller.

Tuesday the 8th is a drop-off. Swell backs down to 3ft, but the morning is glassy again, so if you're desperate for a longboard, it's an option. Afternoon gets a bit cross and messy with only 2ft. Wednesday the 9th is a write-off – cross winds and dropping swell, poor conditions.

Now, here's a standout. Thursday the 10th morning, the swell jumps back up to 7ft from the SW with that long 16-second period again. The combined energy is very strong (2201). This is big, expert-level surf. The wind is a clean cross-off from the SE, so the conditions will be good. This is the pick of the window for the experienced crew. The afternoon drops to 6ft but the wind picks up to a moderate breeze, so it's still rideable.

Friday the 11th gets blown out with fresh winds, and the swell is down. Not great. Saturday the 12th looks promising again, especially the morning with a moderate offshore ESE wind and a clean 3ft SW swell. The afternoon builds to 5ft from the SSW with a 16-second period and strong energy (1509), but the cross-off wind will keep it clean enough.

Sunday the 13th turns nasty with strong cross winds from the NNW and rain. Swell drops and it's choppy. Monday the 14th through Tuesday the 15th is mostly poor, with onshore winds and lumpy conditions, though Tuesday morning sees a 6ft SW swell – it's just too windy to be good for paddling, that looks more like a kite day.

Wednesday the 16th brings a shift. The morning is still messy, but the afternoon throws a curveball: 10ft from the SSE with a short 8-second period. That's a lot of water moving, but short period windswell will be a challenge. Combined energy is strong (1769). It's clean, but it's for experts only and it's going to be a battle.

Thursday the 17th has a strong offshore ESE wind, gusting hard at 25 mph, with a 8ft SSE swell. The wind will make paddling out a mission, but the faces will be smooth. Another one for the pros.

Friday the 18th eases back, with a 5ft SSE swell and lighter winds, making for a decent morning. The afternoon is smaller but clean.

The real late bloomer is Saturday the 19th. The morning is glassy with a light WSW wind, and a 4ft SW swell with that beautiful 16-second period again. Combined energy is moderate to strong (656). It'll be clean, long lines – a great way to finish the run. The afternoon gets a light onshore, so get it early.

After that, Sunday the 20th and Monday the 21st fade out with onshore winds and smaller, weaker swell. Not worth getting wet for.

Overall, the standout is Thursday the 10th morning for the big, clean, powerful SW groundswell. And if you want something a bit more user-friendly, Saturday the 19th morning looks like a glassy gem.

Rusty.

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