Surf City Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Surf City Pier over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough start and a long wait for anything that gets the blood pumping.

The overall pattern is pretty flat and ordinary for the first week and a half. We’re looking at a long stretch, from now until the 25th of September, where the surf is small and just not worth paddling out for. You’ll see weak, short-period slop with combined swell energy barely ticking over, often under 100. There are a few moments of glassy conditions, like Monday afternoon the 14th and Friday morning the 18th, but with waves only 2ft at best, it’s barely a knee-bouncer. It’s a frustrating run, but it does happen here—the ocean just needs a kick in the pants. The water temp is sitting at a warm 82°F, about 1°F above average, so at least you won't freeze while you’re sitting out there staring at a flat sea.

Alright, let’s talk about when it actually gets interesting. The real standout shows up at the very end of the forecast. Mark your calendars for Sunday the 27th of September. The morning kicks off with a clean 6ft swell from the east (9 seconds period), and a light cross-offshore breeze from the NNW. The combined energy hits 455, which is a solid step up. It gets even better by the afternoon – wave heights bump to 6ft, period hanging at 9 seconds, and the wind goes near-glass with that NNW cross-offshore breeze, energy climbing to 516. This is the pick of the entire 16 days. It's not a monster, but clean, chest-to-head-high waves with that sweet offshore wind? That’s Surf City at its best. It’s a sandbar setup, so expect it to be consistent, and with that east swell, it’ll be handling the size fine. Just know it’s a bit more back half of the pier vibe.

After that, Monday the 28th still has some decent leftover energy. The morning offers a clean 5ft wave (10 seconds period) with a cross-offshore north wind and energy at 561. It’s a good follow-up session, but the swell is already starting to drop. By Monday afternoon, it fades to 3ft and the magic is gone. Then it’s back to the small stuff by Tuesday.

If you’re a beginner, that 6ft swell on the 27th is pushing the upper limit of what’s comfortable, but the clean conditions should keep it manageable. For the experts, the whole first week is a miss. The pick is clearly that Sunday, the 27th. Don’t sleep on it.

Rusty.

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