Blacks Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right now, it’s pretty flat out there. The first real surf window doesn’t show up until the 18th, and even then it’s only marginal – small southwest swell around 2ft. The energy’s building slowly though, starting at 498 on Friday morning, but the winds are mostly onshore or cross-off, which keeps things messy. You’ll see a lot of “poor” calls and some “marginal” ones through the 20th. Not much to get excited about, but the water’s still warm – 73°F at Blacks Beach (San Diego), and that’s a full 5°F warmer than normal for this time of year, which is a real standout in itself.

The first day that feels like it has a pulse is Sunday the 20th. The morning shows 3ft of southwest swell at 18 seconds – proper long-period groundswell – and the combined energy climbs to 616. Winds are light and cross-on, so it’ll be a little lumpy but not blown out. That long period is good for points and reefs more than a beach break, but Blacks can handle it when it’s lined up. The swell direction is SW, sitting right in line with what the spot wants (WNW is the optimum, but SW is still workable). It’s not big – just over waist high – but for a week of nothing, it’s a start. Crowds are likely though; Blacks is pretty popular when there’s a pulse.

Monday the 21st holds similar energy – 3ft to 4ft, still 17 seconds, energy up to 734. That’s the strongest push in the whole run. The morning is cross-on with some clouds, but the afternoon picks up a bit more size. It’s still not a standout, but if you’ve got to get wet, that’s the window where the ocean finally feels alive. After that, things taper off again – Tuesday and Wednesday drop back to 2-3ft, and the period shortens to 15-16 seconds. The energy falls off hard by the 30th, down to 188-246, and the swell’s just not there.

The real highlight, if you can call it that, is that long stretch from the 15th through the 17th – basically no rideable waves. Then it teases you on the 18th-21st with a few marginal days, and then it fades back out. There’s nothing over 4ft in the whole forecast, so no danger of overhead. Beginners won’t be threatened, but experts will be bored. For the second week, it’s just small, weak, and mostly onshore – the 26th and 27th have some cross-on winds and 3ft waves, but the period drops to 13-14 seconds, and the energy’s inconsistent. Honestly, this whole run is more about patience than glory.

Blacks is consistent as a break, but that doesn’t mean it’s breaking well. With winds mostly onshore and that tiny swell, expect a lot of closeouts and frustrating paddles. The water being so warm is the one thing that makes it tolerable. If you’re a kiter, some of those cross-on afternoons might be more fun than surfing – but for paddle surfing, it’s a grind. If nothing changes, this blank stretch is pretty normal for the area late September, but forecasts can shift. Keep an eye on that 21st – if the wind switches, it could turn into something.

Rusty

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