Venice Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s talk about what’s happening at Venice Pier. Honestly, mate, it’s a bit of a tough stretch ahead. The water is feeling much warmer than usual for this time of year, sitting at 71°F with a 5°F positive anomaly – that’s pretty notable.

For the first week, from Sunday the 23rd of August right through to the end of the month, the surf is basically a no-go. We’re looking at small, weak swell that’s mostly onshore or messy. The combined energy is stuck in the 200-300 range, which is just moderate, and it’s paired with poor conditions. The wind is almost always onshore or cross-onshore, and the wave heights are tiny, around 1ft to 2ft. There’s a bit of a bump on the 25th with the swell coming from the SW at 2ft and a 16-second period, but the wind is on it and it’s still rated as poor. It’s not worth paddling out for.

Moving into the first week of September, we start to see a bit more energy building. By the 3rd of September, the combined energy is climbing into the 500s, with swell heights around 2ft from the SSW and a long 19-second period. That’s a groundswell, and it’s got some potential, but the wind is still onshore. The good news is that by the 4th and 5th of September, the swell is up to 3ft to 3ft, and the energy is getting strong – hitting 643 on the 4th afternoon and 811 on the 5th afternoon. The direction is consistently SSW, which is okay for this spot, but the wind is a problem. It’s mostly onshore or light cross-onshore, so expect crumbly, choppy conditions.

The real standout, if you can call it that, is looking like Friday the 4th of September morning. The swell is 3ft from the SSW, with a 17-second period, and the wind is light and offshore from the SSW at 3 mph. That’s about as clean as it’s going to get for this stretch. The water will still be warm, but with the wind off, it’ll be glassy. The combined energy is 590, which is strong, so there’s some push. It’s a sandbar break, exposed to the SW, so it’ll pick up that long-period groundswell best. The only caveat is that long-period swell can be a bit straight at a beach break, but with the wind offshore, it might have some shape.

Another mention is Saturday the 5th of September morning. The swell is 3ft from the SSW, with a 17-second period, and the wind is light cross-onshore from the S at 6 mph. The energy is even higher at 803, but that cross-onshore wind will put a bit of a bump on it. It’s still one of the better options, but the morning of the 4th is cleaner.

The second week is a bit of a mixed bag. The swell lingers around 3ft to 4ft, but the wind stays mostly onshore or cross. The energy is still strong, but the conditions are marginal. The best bet is still the first few days of September. Crowds are often a factor here, so expect company, especially if the wind is offshore.

For the whole 16-day window, the surf is mostly small and poor. The real standout is the morning of the 4th of September – that’s the one to circle. After that, the 5th morning is okay, but it gets a bit messy. Otherwise, it’s a lot of waiting for clean conditions that just don’t show up.

Rusty.

Read more