Surf Forecasts:
Blacks Beach surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 15s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 25 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 17s period, SW swell with 330 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 15s period with SSW 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 Wednesday (Aug 19) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Blacks Beach in the next 16 days are 0.8m 17s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 13s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Blacks Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab a coffee and let’s talk about what’s cooking at Blacks Beach. Honestly, I’ll be straight with you – this stretch of the next 16 days looks pretty grim. We’ve got a long stretch of nothing special, and it’s going to take a while before we see anything that’s even worth a second look.
Right now, and for most of the run, the swell is small and weak. The combined energy hangs around 200 to 400 (moderate wave energy) for most of the time, and the swell direction is mostly from the SSW, which is not the optimum WNW direction that Blacks really wants. The water temperature is sitting at 71°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice plus if you’re just going for a paddle, but the surf itself is just not there.
We start off with nothing worthwhile on Wednesday the 19th right through to the end of August. The swell is tiny, between 1ft and 3ft, with periods mostly around 13–16 seconds. The wind is mostly light and onshore, with a few cross-on days, but it’s not enough to save the quality. The wave comment for all these days is either “poor surf conditions” or “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” Basically, it’s a flat spell. There’s no stand-out session in this whole first week and a half.
We do see a bit of a bump coming in around Saturday the 29th of August and Sunday the 30th, with the swell picking up to 4ft from the SSW, period 15–17 seconds, and the combined energy jumping to 947 (moderate wave energy) on Saturday morning. That’s the biggest energy we’ll see. But even then, the wind is light onshore or cross-onshore, and the wave comment is still only “marginal surf forecast.” It’s not terrible, but it’s not the kind of day that’s going to get me excited. The swell direction is still SSW, not the preferred WNW, so the waves will be a bit lumpy and not as well-shaped.
After that, the surf fades again into the first few days of September, with the same small, weak, and marginal conditions. A tiny uptick on Thursday the 3rd of September morning with a 2ft SW swell and a period of 15 seconds, but the energy is only 326 (moderate wave energy), and it’s not enough to change the story.
So, what’s the standout? Honestly, there isn’t one. The best you can hope for is the Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th of August, when there’s a little more size and energy, but it’s still not clean or well-directed. The period is long enough for some groundswell energy, but at a beach break like Blacks, that can mean the waves are a bit too straight and hard to read. If you’re a beginner, the 4ft is okay, but the quality is poor. For experts, it’s just not worth the paddle.
If you’re a kite surfer, the light onshore winds and small, choppy swell might make it interesting, but for paddle surfing, it’s a big “meh.”
Bottom line: We’ve got a long gap of junk surf, a brief, average bump around the 29th and 30th, and then back to the flatness. The forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a blank run. Keep an eye on it, but don’t hold your breath.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Fri morning, min 20°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sat morning, min 22°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 17 | SW 18 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
382 | 387 | 242 | 239 | 236 | 170 | 156 | 137 | 98 | 90 | 239 | 222 | 224 | 194 | 273 | 249 | 177 | 330 | 264 | 208 | 203 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | on | cross-on | on | on | glassy | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 2:37PM1.45m | 3:54PM1.43m | 8:26AM1.03m | 5:14PM1.47m | 8:32AM1.09m | 6:16PM1.55m | 8:46AM1.14m | 7:02PM1.65m | 9:01AM1.19m | 7:40PM1.74m | 9:17AM1.24m | 8:14PM1.81m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 11:03PM0.41m | 00:25AM0.30m | 10:32AM1.01m | 1:16AM0.18m | 12:09PM0.97m | 1:53AM0.09m | 12:58PM0.88m | 2:23AM0.01m | 1:35PM0.78m | 2:50AM-0.04m | 2:08PM0.68m | 3:14AM-0.07m | |||||||||
6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | |
— | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | — | 7:27 | — | — | 7:25 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:23 | — | — | 7:22 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 23 |
Feels °C | 24 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 17 | W 6 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WNW 6 |
74 | 387 | 242 | 239 | 236 | 170 | 156 | 137 | 98 | 90 | 239 | 222 | 38 | 25 | 273 | 249 | 177 | 56 | 264 | 208 | 58 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 5 | W 6 | SSW 13 | SW 17 | S 13 | S 13 | SW 16 |
382 | 57 | 35 | 36 | 27 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 11 | 22 | 20 | 16 | 98 | 135 | 21 | 23 | 93 | 330 | 126 | 125 | 203 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 20 | W 14 | SW 18 | SW 19 | WNW 13 | WNW 12 | SW 18 | SSW 16 | SW 17 | SW 18 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | S 15 | S 13 | S 9 | W 18 | S 12 |
16 | 4 | 50 | 57 | 16 | 27 | 81 | 51 | 77 | 83 | 57 | 58 | 224 | 194 | 199 | 87 | 38 | 126 | 7 | 24 | 78 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 31 | 74 | 50 | 58 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 26 | 27 | 0 | 125 | 27 | 5 | 125 | 27 | 0 | 27 | 27 | 0 | 27 | 27 | 8 | 27 | 26 | 0 | 26 | 27 | 26 |
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.











