Ballona Creek and Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey, Rusty here. Let’s talk about Ballona Creek and Jetty for the next couple weeks.

Right off the bat, it’s slim pickings. From now all the way through to the morning of Sunday, September 6th, there’s barely a wave worth chasing. The swell is tiny – 1.3 ft to 2.6 ft – and the wind is either onshore or cross-onshore almost the whole time. The combined energy is weak, ranging from 127 to 363. The wave reports are all “poor” or “marginal.” It’s a beach and jetty setup, so with that wind and small, short-period swell (13–18 seconds but weak), it’s choppy and messy.

Then, on Sunday morning, September 6th, things finally change. Overcast skies, a light ENE breeze at 3 mph – that’s a clean cross-offshore wind. The swell is still small, 2.3 ft from the SSW with a 15-second period, and the combined energy is 389 – moderate but not strong. The wave comment says “expect good surf conditions,” which is by far the best call in this whole run. This is the standout. It’ll be clean, small, and probably not too crowded, though crowds do happen here sometimes. For a jetty spot with a long-period groundswell, you might get some decent shape on the right tide.

After that, Monday 7th September morning is okay with a light cross-shore, but by afternoon the wind gets onshore and it’s done. Tuesday 8th September sees a little bump in swell – 4.3 ft from the SSW – but the wind is onshore again, so it’s choppy. The combined energy hits 549–554, so there’s decent power, but it’s wasted on messy conditions. By Wednesday 9th September, the swell period drops to 8–10 seconds, making it weak and lumpy.

The second week is a flat, windy snooze. From Thursday 10th September through Monday 14th September, we’re looking at 1.3 ft to 2 ft swell, onshore winds, and energy under 300. Even the long-period swells (17–19 seconds) are too small to matter, and the wind is always against you.

Bottom line: Sunday 6th September morning is your only real shot – clean, small, and worth a paddle if you’re keen. The rest is a long, dry spell. If the wind gets up, kite surfers might have more fun than the paddle crew.

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