Californias Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, grab a coffee, sit down. It’s Rusty here, and I gotta be straight with you—this next stretch for Californias is a tough one. We're looking at a real flat spell, and the surf just isn't showing up for love nor money for most of the run. There’s a bit of a tease right at the end, but for the next couple of weeks, you’re probably better off doing some board maintenance or taking up something else.

The water is sitting at 81°F, which is actually a touch colder than normal for this time of year.

Alright, looking at the chart. The whole first week is basically a wipeout. From Friday the 3rd to Saturday the 11th, we’ve got nothing but tiny, weak waves. The combined energy is barely registering, with values like 2 to 27, so that’s just flat ocean energy. Winds are all over the place—cross-onshore and fresh offshores with no swell to work with. On Tuesday morning the 7th, it goes glassy with a 2ft W swell, but with a period of only 7 seconds, it’s gutless and the ‘poor surf conditions’ tag says it all. Don't bother paddling out.

After that, we go into a full-on gap. From the 8th through the 11th, there are days with clean offshore wind from the ENE, but the swell height is a solid dash—zero, nothing. It’s just flat, clean water. You could kite, but for paddle surfing, it’s a dead zone.

Things finally stir slightly on Sunday the 12th. We get a 1ft swell from the ENE with a 10-second period, but the wind is a moderate cross-shore from the SSE, making it messy. Combined energy is only 18, so it’s weak.

Then you’ve got another flat period. From Monday the 13th until Wednesday morning the 16th, it’s all tiny 0.3ft to 0.7ft swells with poor cross-onshore winds. Not worth a second look.

The one and only standout, if you can call it that, comes right at the end on Thursday afternoon, July 16th. We finally see a pulse of energy. The swell jumps to 3ft from the SSE with a short 6-second period, and the combined energy hits 61—still moderate but the best we’ll see. The wind is a light, clean cross-offshore from the ESE, so the surface will be pretty clean for that short window. It’s a beach-and-reef setup, so with short period swell, it might be a bit close-outy, but it’s the only window all fortnight with any size and clean conditions. For beginners, that 3ft is fine, but don't expect any power.

After that, it fades back to almost nothing for the final days.

So, honestly? If you’re desperate, maybe check that Thursday afternoon the 16th at Californias. It’s the only moment with any hope of a clean wave, but keep your expectations real low. Otherwise, this is a long, dry stretch.

Rusty.

Read more