Bolsa Chica Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here again, but this time in feet, Fahrenheit, and miles per hour. Let’s size up the next couple weeks at your local.

Honestly, it’s a pretty flat and funky outlook for Bolsa Chica. We’ve got a long stretch of small, windblown junk that’s gonna keep the lineup quiet, but for the wrong reasons. There’s some moderate energy in the water if you look at the numbers—like 726 to start—but the wind and swell direction just aren’t cooperating for a decent ride.

Your best early call is Tuesday morning, July 7th. We get a chest-high swell at about 3ft from the SSW, with a long 18-second period. That’s proper groundswell energy. The wind is a light 6 mph breeze from the SW, so it’s borderline okay for a beginner-friendly spot like this. The water’s about 66°, which is dead normal for this time of year, so boardies or a thin spring suit and you’re good.

From Tuesday afternoon onward through Saturday, July 18th, it’s a real bummer. The wind swings cross-onshore or onshore at 9 to 12 mph, chopping up the surface. The swell drops from 3ft all the way down to 1ft, and the periods get shorter. Energy numbers fall into the 100s and low 200s—weak and not worth paddling for. Day after day is rated poor. Save your gas.

Now, after that long dry spell, Sunday morning, July 19th shows a little promise. The wind goes dead glassy—from the NW at just 3 mph—and we get a 2ft SW swell with a 17-second period. The energy is moderate at 349, but clean conditions make all the difference. At a wide beach like Bolsa Chica, a long-period swell can run a bit straight, but with no wind and some consistency, a longboard might get a few fun ones. That’s your one true standout in the whole 16 days.

After that, it’s back to the same old story: small swell, onshore breezes, and poor conditions through July 22nd.

Bottom line: if you’re itching to get wet, Tuesday morning or Sunday morning July 19th are your windows. Everything in between is a write-off. It’s a typical summer lull here; when it’s bad, it can stick around, but forecasts are always moving. Keep an eye out.

Rusty.

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