Venice Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let me break down what's coming our way for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s a tough stretch ahead. Looking at the whole 16-day window, there’s really nothing to get excited about for the first week and a half. The surf is tiny, the winds are junk, and the consistency is terrible. We’re looking at a long dry spell from now until around the 18th of July.

The water temp right now is 68°, which is a solid 4° warmer than usual for this time of year. It feels like a bath out there, but the lack of any real swell is painful.

The only spot that even gets a sniff of a look is Venice Pier. It’s a sandbar break, exposed to the SW, and best with an offshore from the NE. Let’s be real, though – for the first eight days, from the 10th to the 17th, it’s all “poor surf conditions.” We’re talking tiny 1ft to 2ft swells, mostly from the SSW, with a long period of 15 seconds that makes things even weaker. The wind is cross-on or onshore. The combined swell energy is weak, bouncing between 110 and 239. Basically, you’ll get a dribbly knee-high wave with chop on it. It’s not worth paddling out.

Things stay grim through the 18th and 19th. On the 18th we see a hint of life with a 2ft swell from the SW and an 18-second period. The combined energy climbs a bit to 282. It’s still marginal at best. The morning of the 18th has a light cross-on from the S, so it’s clean-ish but small. It’s the only sliver of possibility in this period, but I wouldn’t call it a standout. It’s just not that great.

There’s another big gap of nothing then, with the same weak, onshore junk until the 24th.

Now, the first real flicker of hope comes on the morning of Saturday, the 25th of July. The swell picks up to 3ft from the SSE with a 14-second period. The combined energy jumps to 563 – that’s moderate energy, finally something with a bit of punch. The wind is a light cross-on from the SSW, so it won’t be perfect, but it won’t be blown out either. It’s still a marginal call, and the swell direction (SSE) isn’t the optimum (SW). The sun will be out, and while the crowds are “often” a thing here, the chance of a few fun, chest-high waves at a sandbar has to be highlighted. It’s the best on offer.

So, the bottom line: the whole window is poor. The only day that even gets a mention is the 25th of July, and it’s just a “maybe” at Venice Pier. For beginners, the swell stays under 5ft, so it’s not dangerous, but the quality is so poor it’s hardly worth the paddle. For everyone else, prepare for a lot of flat, choppy water.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on it. Forecasting can shift, but right now, it’s a waiting game.
Rusty.

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