Huntington Beach Pier
Huntington Pier
Now
Thu Nov 5 · 12–3 PM forecast
3–4 ftwaist to chest
Best tomorrow · Fri 6
Compare bothNothing good left today.
Best tomorrow · Fri 6, 6 to 9 AM Pacific.
then the wind picks up
2–3 ft · thigh to waist
Small waves, more fun on a longboard, and light offshore wind is grooming them.
Show on chart ↓
Onshore: wind from sea to land. It can make the waves choppy.
Rising tide: the water level is going up; 1.5–4.0 ft is this spot’s best range.
Water temperature is in °F; a swimsuit is enough for warmer water, depending on how cold you feel. This is the latest water reading, not a forecast for the session.
Buoy-checked: a live ocean buoy near this spot keeps this forecast honest.
Huntington Beach Pier surf guide
Surf City's famous pier break, home of the US Open · 3 things to watch
Huntington Beach Pier guide
Surf City's famous pier break, home of the US Open.
- Good for
- Strong intermediates and up, mostly on shortboards.
- The wave
- Lefts and rights off the pier's sandbar.
- Watch for
- Packed lineups and drop-ins.
- Pilings, fishing lines and pier currents.
- Summer blackball on the south side.
- Best when
- Best on a S to WNW swell (180°–290°) with NE offshore wind, at mid tide (about 1.5–4 ft).
MoreLess about Huntington Beach Pier
Longboards at 2–4 ft, shortboards at 3–7 ft. Most consistent in spring and summer.
Contests run on the south side, and in winter it's the stronger wave, as northwest swell bends in under the pier. In summer, boards move to the north side, which stays open as a surfing area.
The US Open of Surfing takes over the beach every summer, and crowds and closures come with it.
- Local tip
- On big days, the channel next to the pier is the way out; let the current carry you to a peak from there. Riding between the pilings is against the rules.
GOOD TIDE TODAY8:50–11:00 AM2:45–5:22 PM
Guide updated October 2026
Spot research: Wikipedia, WannaSurf, Mondo Surf, SoCal Forecast, Surf-Forecast, American Surf Magazine, The Surf Atlas, Deepswell, City of Huntington Beach and Pier Fishing in California.
Send a spot correctionLive buoy San Pedro South
- WAVES
- 3.3 ft
- PERIOD
- 13s
- FROM
- SW 233°
- WATER
- 75°
Observed 1:30 PM · 54 min old
7-day surf
LB longboard · SB shortboard
Thu 12 PM · now
3–4 ft · waist to chest ·
9 mph onshore · tide 0.9 ft falling
Swell near the beach: 3.0 ft every 13 s from SW
| Time | Surf | Rating | Wind | Tide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 12 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 3 mph offshore | 0.6 ft and rising |
| Thu 3 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 4 mph, gusts 7, offshore | 2.9 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 4 mph, gusts 13, offshore | 5.5 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 3 mph cross-offshore | 3.7 ft and falling |
| Thu 12 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 9 mph onshore | 0.9 ft and falling |
| Thu 3 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 11 mph, gusts 14, cross-onshore | 1.8 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 7 mph, gusts 13, cross | 4.3 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 5 mph offshore | 3.2 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 5 mph, gusts 7, offshore | 1.0 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 6 mph offshore | 2.6 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 5 mph offshore | 5.6 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 3 mph cross-offshore | 4.4 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 9 mph, gusts 11, cross-onshore | 0.8 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 8 mph, gusts 10, cross-onshore | 0.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 5 mph, gusts 10, cross | 3.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 8 mph, gusts 11, offshore | 3.7 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 7 mph, gusts 10, offshore | 1.5 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 9 mph, gusts 19, offshore | 2.4 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 13 mph, gusts 32, offshore | 5.5 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 8 mph, gusts 12, onshore | 5.0 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 8 mph cross-offshore | 1.2 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 9 mph cross-onshore | 0.0 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 11 mph, gusts 13, cross-onshore | 2.8 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 2 mph glassy | 4.0 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 4 mph offshore | 2.1 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 4 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 4 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 5.3 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 2 mph, gusts 4, glassy | 5.5 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 4 mph onshore | 1.7 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 7 mph onshore | −0.4 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 6 mph cross-onshore | 1.9 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 5 mph cross-offshore | 3.9 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 4 mph cross-offshore | 2.6 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 3 mph, gusts 4, offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Mon 6 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 3 mph offshore | 5.0 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 3 mph, gusts 4, offshore | 5.8 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 4 mph onshore | 2.4 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 6 mph onshore | −0.4 ft and falling |
| Mon 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 6 mph onshore | 1.1 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 3 mph cross-onshore | 3.6 ft and rising |
| Tue 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 1 mph glassy | 3.0 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair | 1 mph, gusts 2, glassy | 2.4 ft and rising |
| Tue 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair | 2 mph glassy | 4.6 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 3 mph offshore | 5.8 ft and falling |
| Tue 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 4 mph onshore | 3.1 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 7 mph onshore | −0.1 ft and falling |
| Tue 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 6 mph onshore | 0.5 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor, dark hours | 4 mph cross-onshore | 3.1 ft and rising |
| Wed 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 2 mph glassy | 3.2 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor–Fair | 1 mph glassy | 2.5 ft and rising |
| Wed 6 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Poor | 2 mph glassy | 4.2 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 AM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor | 1 mph, gusts 2, glassy | 5.7 ft and falling |
| Wed 12 PM | 1–2 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor | 5 mph onshore | 3.7 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable | 9 mph onshore | 0.5 ft and falling |
| Wed 6 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable, dark hours | 8 mph cross-onshore | 0.2 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable, dark hours | 5 mph cross-onshore | 2.4 ft and rising |
Today’s tide
GOOD 8:50–11:00 AM2:45–5:22 PM
Balboa Pier · feet above low water
Swell
Primary ·
W274°
Secondary ·
S182°
Primary is the main displayed swell by wave energy; another swell can affect this spot more because of its direction.
Short period means closely spaced waves; they usually have less push than a similar-size swell with longer gaps.
Secondary is another swell in the water; it can add waves from a different direction.
Period: seconds between waves; longer gaps usually mean more powerful waves, depending on size and direction.
Wave forecast checked against the live San Pedro South buoy.
Updated 2:23 PM · CDIP/Scripps, Open-Meteo and NOAA.
Common questions
Is Huntington Beach Pier good for beginners?
Not really; it suits surfers with some experience.
What tide is best at Huntington Beach Pier?
It’s best at mid tide (about 1.5–4 ft).
What swell works at Huntington Beach Pier?
A S to WNW swell (180°–290°) is best, with NE offshore wind. It picks up swell from SSE to WNW (160°–300°). Most consistent in spring and summer.
What board should I ride at Huntington Beach Pier?
Either works: longboards at 2–4 ft, shortboards at 3–7 ft.
What should I watch out for at Huntington Beach Pier?
Packed lineups and drop-ins; pilings, fishing lines and pier currents; and summer blackball on the south side.