Surf City Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s be real – Surf City Pier is in a dry spell right now. This break is a sandbar setup that’s very consistent, but for the first week there’s just no juice.

From Tuesday the 15th through Monday the 21st, we’re stuck with poor surf conditions. Swell is tiny, mostly under 3 feet, from the east, with a short, weak period around 6 to 8 seconds. Wind is all wrong too – cross or cross-onshore, chopping everything up. By Saturday the 19th, the swell drops to just 1 foot from the SE, with weak energy. Not a single one of those days is worth paddling out. You’re better off waiting.

Things start to stir Wednesday the 23rd. Swell picks up to around 3 feet from the ENE, energy gets moderate, but the wind is still a light cross-onshore, so expect it to be lumpy. Not a standout.

Thursday the 24th is the first real chance. Morning brings around 3 feet of east swell, 8 second period, with a light offshore from the NNW. Energy is 163 – moderate. But the afternoon is where it’s at: the wind goes glassy, 0 mph, and the wave faces clean up with 3 feet of swell and 173 energy. That’s your first standout. It’s small, but clean, and crowds will be around sometimes, so you won’t have it to yourself. Water temps are about average for this time of year.

Friday the 25th is a washout with heavy rain, but Saturday the 26th fires up. Saturday morning you get 5 feet from the east, period 9 seconds, cross-offshore wind. Energy hits 290 – solid. The standout is Saturday afternoon: 4 feet east swell, period 6 seconds, with a clean offshore from the NNW at 12 mph. Energy is 225, expect good surf conditions. The swell direction doesn’t line up with the optimum SE direction for the break, but that offshore wind makes for clean, fun waves. At just over 4 feet, it’s a good size for most surfers, not too big for the average crew, and that offshore wind will really hold the faces up. It’s short period, so the sets won’t roll in with a ton of power, but on a sandbar it’ll still be fun.

From Sunday the 27th, it fades fast. Sunday is small but clean, then Monday the 28th is back to ankle-biters.

Then, on Wednesday the 30th of September, we see another pulse: 5 feet from the east-northeast, period 8 seconds, with a light offshore from the NW, energy at 263, and expect good surf conditions. That’s a long-range hopeful, but it’s worth keeping an eye on.

Best advice: go for Thursday afternoon the 24th for smooth, glassy small waves, or Saturday the 26th for a punchier, clean offshore session. Everything else is a pass.

Rusty out.

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