Venice Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you. The next couple of weeks are gonna be a real test of patience. We're looking at a pretty flat and tricky stretch ahead, so don't go getting your hopes up too high.

The whole 16-day window is a bit of a struggle, to be honest. The swell energy we've got is pretty weak, mostly hovering in that 93 to 110 bracket. That's just not enough push to get things happening properly. We're looking at some small SW groundswell, but the period is short and bouncing around, so it's not going to be doing us any favors. Plus, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, which is just going to chop up whatever little bumps there are.

To make matters worse, the water is running a massive 8° warmer than normal for this time of year, which is a big red flag. It’s like the ocean is telling us it’s just not in the mood.

Now, to the specifics. For the entire first week, from the 2nd through the 6th, it's a complete write-off. We're talking surf heights of just 1ft to 1ft with short, weak periods. The wind is just going to mess up the surface. Nothing to even consider paddling out for.

We do see a little pulse of energy arrive on the 7th, with the combined energy jumping up to the 233 range. The swell also bumps up slightly to 1ft, pushing a bit more from the SSW with a longer 19-second period. This is the closest thing we get to a highlight, but it's still a pretty marginal call. By the 14th, there's another slightly better pulse, with energy hitting 337 and a slightly bigger 2ft swell, again with that long 18-second period. These are the only two days that even register as "marginal," and that's probably being generous. The long period and weak size aren't a great combo for a sandbar spot like Venice Pier (Los Angeles), it often just doesn’t have the shape to handle it.

The long-range stuff, from the 14th onwards, is just more of the same. We see a slight bump in swell height, but the wind remains a problem. There is a window on the 16th morning with a light 3 mph wind, but it's still onshore and the swell is nothing to write home about. It's a "promising but less certain" situation at best, and even the promise is pretty weak.

Look, if you're a beginner, the swell never really gets over 3ft, so size isn't the issue. The problem is just the lack of any decent shape or clean conditions. Honestly, for a lot of this period, with the onshore wind and grovelly waves, the beach setup at Venice Pier looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. If you absolutely must get wet, the mornings on the 7th, 14th, and 16th are your only real chances, and even then, keep the expectations in the gutter.

It’s a slow, frustrating pattern. But that’s the ocean for you. It doesn’t tend to stay this poor for long, so keep an eye on the charts. Forecasts can change, and we just need one good storm track to turn this around.

Stay patient.

Rusty.

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