Californias Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I gotta be straight with you: the outlook for Californias over the next 16 days is a tough one. We're looking at mainly small, weak surf with a lot of onshore and cross-shore wind messing things up. The water temperature here is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual.

We start off this Monday, July 13th, with tiny 2 ft waves from the west, period around 8 seconds, but it's cross-shore and the energy is weak (35). It's poor, and it stays that way through Tuesday and Wednesday – barely a ripple, with 0.7 ft to 2 ft of bumpy, wind-affected junk. The combined energy is in the single digits to low twenties, just terrible.

Thursday and Friday the 16th and 17th are a right-off with onshore wind and fat, short-period windswell. Saturday the 18th is a bit of a tease – we get a little pulse of 2 ft from the west, but it's cross-on and still weak. By Sunday the 19th, the wind goes glassy from the north, but the swell is only 1 ft with a 10-second period, so it's clean but flat. The energy is still low (36).

Then we hit a bit of a dry spell. Monday and Tuesday the 20th and 21st are tiny, but there's a glimmer on Tuesday morning the 21st: a 2 ft east swell with a 10-second period and clean cross-off wind. The energy jumps to 78 (moderate), and it's surfable, but just ordinary. Wednesday the 22nd is the real standout, and it's miles away. On the morning of Wednesday, July 22nd, we get a 2 ft east swell, 10-second period, with light cross-off wind and clean conditions. The energy hits 112 (moderate). It's not big, but it's the cleanest, most consistent wave in the whole forecast. The east swell is a good direction for the reef here. That afternoon, it drops to 2 ft but the period stretches to 12 seconds, giving it a bit more grunt (103 energy). This is the best we've got on offer.

The following week fades out fast. Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th hold onto some 1 ft to 2 ft east swell with clean wind, but the energy drops. By Saturday the 25th, it's back to tiny 1 ft, and the last few days of the month are almost flat with offshore wind but nothing to ride. The last couple of days, July 27th and 28th, show zero swell.

So, if you're hanging for a wave, your best bet is the morning of Wednesday, July 22nd at Californias. It's small, clean, and the energy is finally there. Don't hold your breath for anything before that.

Rusty.

Read more