
Surf Forecasts:
Blacks Beach surf forecast from 15 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 16 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 17s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 21 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 17s period, SW swell with 553 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 15 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 17s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Blacks Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Blacks Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 17s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Blacks Beach in the next 16 days are 1.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 21) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 12s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 17) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Tue 15th Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 17s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Wed 16th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Mon 21st Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Blacks Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty.
First off, let’s be straight with you: if you’re looking for solid, clean surf over the next couple of weeks, we’ve got a bit of a waiting game on our hands. The only spot that’s even on the cards is Blacks Beach, and it’s going through a real flat spell. Right from the start, Monday the 14th, we’ve got a tiny 4ft swell from the west, but with a cross-on wind, it’s choppy and messy. The water temp is sitting at 73° – that’s nearly 5° warmer than usual for this time of year, which is pretty unusual. Still, doesn’t make up for the poor surf.
The whole first week is a drag. From that Monday right through to Thursday the 17th, expect small, poor-quality swell – mostly under 3ft, with a long period (15-18 seconds) that suggests some energy, but the winds stay cross-on or straight onshore, keeping things bumpy. The combined energy is moderate (around 341 to 497), but it’s wasted. Blowing onshore the whole time. Not a single standout, just a bunch of “poor surf conditions” calls.
Things start to nudge up a little toward Friday the 18th and into the weekend. Swell picks up to 3ft to 3ft from the SSW/SW, and we start seeing some mornings with clean-ish winds – offshore from the WSW or W, light breeze. But the wave comment still hovers around “marginal surf forecast” with scores of just 1 out of 10. Not worth paddling out for unless you’re desperate. The energy levels climb, hitting 550 on the Saturday morning, but the wave heights are just too small to get excited about.
Now here’s the real standout of the whole period – it’s the week after. Monday the 21st through Tuesday the 23rd of September. You get a consistent 3ft to 4ft SW groundswell, with a period around 17 seconds. That’s a proper long-period groundswell, which at Blacks Beach (an exposed spot) means better shaped waves and longer lulls. The winds are light, mostly WSW or W, and offshore at times. The combined energy cranks up to 716 Monday afternoon – that’s moderate to strong energy. This stretch in the middle of the second week is the best on offer. It’s still not huge, so it’s fine for most ability levels, but the clean offshore wind and solid period mean those waves will have some push and shape. Just know that crowds are often at Blacks on a clean day.
After that, into the final few days of September, the swell fades back to 2ft – 3ft, the period drops to 13-16 seconds, and we’re looking at onshore wind again. Tuesday the 29th has a late spike in energy (523) with a light wind, but the swell is only 2ft, so it’s marginal at best.
So overall, it’s a lackluster start, a clean-ish window around the 21st-23rd that’s the best bet, and then a slow fade. Don’t expect fireworks, but if you time it right that Tuesday morning the 22nd with the offshore breeze and head-high groundswell – that’s your session.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Mon morning, min 19°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Fri afternoon, min 19°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
149 | 192 | 188 | 163 | 157 | 157 | 475 | 339 | 291 | 284 | 246 | 242 | 303 | 303 | 299 | 379 | 375 | 375 | 522 | 522 | 499 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 11:22AM1.67m | 00:17AM1.15m | 11:51AM1.60m | 1:23AM0.98m | 12:23PM1.51m | 1:09PM1.41m | 2:38PM1.34m | 8:04AM1.10m | 4:32PM1.35m | 7:53AM1.16m | 5:45PM1.44m | ||||||||||
Low Tide | 6:10PM0.23m | 5:24AM0.62m | 7:05PM0.30m | 5:36AM0.78m | 8:21PM0.37m | 10:08PM0.39m | 11:39PM0.32m | 10:40AM1.07m | 00:33AM0.23m | 12:03PM0.97m | 1:10AM0.14m | ||||||||||
6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | |
— | 6:57 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:53 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:51 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:47 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 19 | SW 19 | W 6 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | W 7 | W 7 |
149 | 151 | 99 | 74 | 79 | 50 | 475 | 339 | 291 | 284 | 246 | 242 | 303 | 303 | 41 | 379 | 375 | 375 | 522 | 74 | 107 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | W 7 | W 6 | SW 13 | S 12 | S 12 | SSW 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | SW 18 | SW 17 |
108 | 192 | 188 | 163 | 157 | 157 | 22 | 11 | 85 | 68 | 69 | 80 | 180 | 141 | 184 | 34 | 24 | 37 | 74 | 522 | 499 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 9 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 21 | W 5 | S 8 | SW 19 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 12 |
84 | 38 | 38 | 37 | 127 | 110 | 25 | 24 | 29 | 160 | 160 | 212 | 15 | 12 | 299 | 137 | 93 | 57 | 56 | 76 | 77 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 3 | WNW 3 | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 145 | 0 | 27 | 27 | 8 | 26 | 26 | 2 | 27 | 27 | 15 | 27 | 27 | 0 | 27 | 27 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Diego County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Blacks Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Blacks Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Blacks Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Blacks Beach surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Blacks Beach) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Blacks Beach may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Blacks Beach is 13 km (8 miles) from the city of San Diego. If you plan a vacation in San Diego County, look for hotels and other accommodation in San Diego. San Diego has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










