Imperial Beach Pier (North) Surf Forecast
BREAK TYPE
Beach break north of the IB Pier with sandbars.
GOOD FOR
Sand-bottom peaks set up on the north side of the pier, usually breaking chest to head high on a clean west or southwest pulse. Shape depends entirely on how the winter storms have stacked the bars, so one week delivers punchy A-frames close to the pilings and the next serves mellow rollers wide of them. Suits shortboarders wanting a quick session and longboarders looking for softer inside reforms.
BOARD RECOMMENDATIONS
WORKS BEST WITH
- Swell Direction
- SW W NW
- Wind
- E NE
- Tide
- Mid & High
WHEN IT WORKS
The stretch faces open ocean and picks up west and southwest swell year round, though the real windows land from November through March when North Pacific storms line up. Summer south swells wrap in smaller and softer. Light easterly flow off the bay keeps mornings groomed, and the wave generally prefers a pushing mid tide, going soft and fat at full high and closing out at dead low.
AVERAGE CROWD FACTOR
- Weekdays
- Mellow
- Weekends
- Packed
WHAT TO KNOW
The overwhelming concern is water quality, since the Tijuana River outflow sits just to the south and pushes sewage plumes north on many swells. Check county closure signs before paddling out, especially after any rain. Rip currents form along the pier pilings and can drag a surfer into the structure, so give the pilings a wide berth. Crowds stay light on weekdays and localism is minimal.
GETTING THERE
Metered street parking runs the length of Seacoast Drive, with the largest public lot at the foot of Evergreen Avenue right beside the pier. From the lot, a short paved path and a set of low stairs drop straight to the sand in under two minutes. Beach walk-ons from Elkwood, Daisy, or Cortez avenues add a five minute stroll. Restrooms, outdoor showers, and a lifeguard tower sit at the pier plaza.