Californias Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get stuck into it. Rusty here, and I’ve got the full picture for Californias – a reef break and a fairly consistent one at that. It’s set up for advanced surfers, with an optimum swell from the north.

First up, right now we’re looking at a rough start. The forecast kicks off on Wednesday, 26 August, with a risk of thunderstorms and a strong southwest wind hammering the place at 31 mph. The swell’s a powerful 10 ft from the NNW – that’s a lot of energy (1552) – but it’s cross-onshore and blown out. Not a wave you’d paddle out for. That kind of size over 8 ft is experts-only at the best of times, and this ain’t the best of times.

Thursday morning, 27 August, is still a write-off. We’ve got a 5 ft swell from the WNW, but the wind is cross-shore and messy. There’s a glimmer Thursday afternoon – the swell jumps to 10 ft from the west with an 11-second period, giving us a huge energy reading of 1781. But the wind is still cross-shore, and the conditions are marginal at best. It’s a big, powerful swell, but it’s not clean. This one’s for the die-hards only.

Friday, 28 August, brings a change. The wind swings cross-offshore, and the morning is clean. The swell drops to 5 ft from the west, period 10 seconds, energy 567. It’s small, but that clean wind makes it the best we’ve seen so far. The afternoon holds at 4 ft, also clean. This is a solid window for a more manageable surf, but it’s not a standout.

Then we hit a flat spell. Saturday, 29 August, the swell bottoms out at 2 ft, and by Sunday, 30 August, we’re down to 0.7 ft. The wind is offshore and clean on Sunday, but there’s barely any swell. That’s a blank run of a few days.

Monday, 31 August, through to Tuesday, 1 September, there’s zero swell. Nothing. Just wind and risk of thunderstorms. The break is quiet.

Now, hold on. Wednesday, 2 September, things get wild. The swell cranks up to 25 ft on Wednesday morning from the NNW, with a period of 11 seconds and a colossal energy of 14066. By the afternoon, it’s 26 ft, energy 18294. That is a massive, powerful groundswell from the northwest. But the wind is strong and cross-onshore, and the conditions are messy. For a reef break like Californias, this much energy is a monster, but the wind is ruining it. I’m calling it a washout.

Thursday, 3 September, is the standout. The swell drops to 20 ft from the NW, still a heavy 12-second period, energy 9820. The wind is moderate cross-shore, but it’s a better day. The afternoon sees a 15 ft swell from the NNW, 13-second period, energy 7442, and the wind is cross-offshore and clean. This is the best on offer. The swell is over 8 ft, so it’s strictly for experts, but that long period (13 seconds) combined with the clean conditions makes for some serious, well-shaped waves. The reef will handle that long-period groundswell beautifully. Just be aware of the crowds, which are often here.

Friday, 4 September, holds a 12 ft swell from the NW, period 12 seconds, energy 3541. The wind stays cross-offshore and clean. Consistent, clean, and heavy. It’s a good follow-up day, but not quite the peak of Thursday.

From Saturday, 5 September, onwards, the swell slowly fades. Saturday morning is 7 ft from the NNW, dropping to 6 ft in the afternoon with offshore wind. That’s rideable for the advanced crew. By Sunday, 6 September, it’s down to 4 ft, and by Monday, 7 September, there’s almost nothing, with strong offshore winds making it hard to paddle into. The rest of the forecast into the second week shows very small swell and gale-force winds, so it’s not worth the drive.

The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no wetsuit surprises there.

To sum it up: the first week is a struggle with wind and blown-out big swells. The real standout is Thursday, 3 September, with a big, clean, long-period groundswell from the northwest. That’s your day to get out there if you’re an expert. Friday, 4 September, is a solid backup. After that, it fades fast.

Rusty out.

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