Californias Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Californias over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with ya – the first week is a real tough one. We’re lookin’ at a whole lotta nothin’ with storm risks and cross-off shores makin’ a mess of things. From Wednesday the 19th through to Sunday the 23rd, there’s barely a ripple. A couple of tiny 0.3ft to 0.7ft swells pop up on the Saturday and Sunday, but that’s it. The wind is blowin’ fresh from the ESE, and it’s just plain ugly out there. That’s a solid five to six days of flat out disappointment.

Things start to stir on Monday the 24th. The swell picks up to 5ft from the east, with a combined energy of 220, but the cross-off wind is still strong at 19 mph and it’s got that stormy feel. The quality is still poor. Tuesday the 25th is the first real glimmer. The wind swings offshore from the ENE, lightening up to a moderate breeze, and the swell holds at 5ft from the ENE. It’s still a short period of 7 seconds, so not a lot of grunt, but the offshore wind will clean it right up. The water temp is sittin’ at 84°, which is pretty much dead average for this time of year, so no need to worry about a wetsuit.

Now, Wednesday the 26th is where things get interesting, but not in a good way for us paddle surfers. The morning is messy with a 6ft NNE swell and cross-shore wind, but the afternoon? Whoa. We get a 10ft swell from the east with a very long period of 16 seconds. That’s a groundswell, and combined energy is a massive 4714 – that’s strong. But the wind is a fresh cross-shore from the NNW at 22 mph, makin’ it lumpy and choppy. This setup, with that cross-chop and big swell, is lookin’ a whole lot more interestin’ for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Thursday the 27th is still big and messy, with a 13ft NNW swell on the afternoon and cross-on winds. Friday the 28th has a 10ft swell, but the wind is onshore in the morning and cross-on in the afternoon. Still not what we’re after.

The real standout comes on Sunday the 30th of August. Conditions finally line up. The swell drops to a manageable 6ft from the NW with a 10-second period. Combined energy is a moderate 535. The real beauty is the wind – a light breeze from the NE, a light offshore that will leave the surface glassy and clean. This is the best on offer. The break is a reef setup, so that long period will wrap in nicely. It’s fairly consistent, but be ready for crowds, because it’s often packed. This is the one to circle on your calendar.

Monday the 31st still has some clean conditions with cross-off winds, and Tuesday the 1st of September has a 6ft NNW swell with 7-second period and clean conditions in the morning. It’s not as good as Sunday, but it’s still rideable. After that, the wind picks back up through the first few days of September, turning cross-shore and lumpy again by Wednesday the 2nd. Thursday the 3rd has a 10ft NW swell with a clean cross-off wind, but that’s big – over 8ft, so that’s expert territory only.

So, if you’ve got the patience, hold out for Sunday the 30th. That’s the day.

Rusty.

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