Corona Del Mar Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get this out there. The long-range picture is looking pretty flat again, and if you’re waiting for a real push of swell, you’re gonna be waiting a while. The models are showing a whole lot of nothing for the next couple of weeks, with only a few days where the surf might just be worth paddling out for. It’s a slow stretch, but there’s a couple of small windows if you’re keen.

Corona Del Mar Jetty (Corona-Del-Mar-Jetty) is the only spot on the radar, and it’s a fair-weather, small-wave bet. The water is sitting at 73°F, which is a full 7°F warmer than what’s normal for this time of year – that’s really unusual, and it’s going to feel like bathwater out there.

The first week is pretty much a write-off. From Monday the 3rd through to Thursday the 6th, we’re looking at tiny 1ft to 2ft swells from the SW, with a weak pulse of energy – the combined energy reading is low, sitting in the 80s to 200s range. The wind is light, but it’s cross-shore or cross-on, so it’s not going to be clean. The wave comment says it all: “poor surf conditions.” It’s a flat, bumpy mess.

Friday the 7th and Saturday the 8th see a touch more size, with the swell holding around 2ft to 2ft, but the period jumps to 17 to 19 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, which is good energy, but it’s coming from the SSW, and with the wind straight on or cross-on, it’s going to be difficult to find a decent one. The combined energy does climb into the 300s, which is a bit more moderate, but the surf quality is still poor. Not worth getting excited about.

Sunday the 9th and Monday the 10th are similar – 2ft to 3ft, but the period drops back to 14-15 seconds, and the wind stays onshore. The energy is still moderate, but the waves are going to be messy, soft, and hard to ride. It’s a grind.

The middle of the week, Tuesday the 11th through to Thursday the 13th, is a bit of a mess. The swell drops back to 2ft to 2ft, and the period is variable, shifting between 13 and 18 seconds. The wind is still not cooperating. We’re looking at a lot of cross-shore or cross-on conditions, and the combined energy is in the 200s. It’s not going to be great.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Saturday the 15th. The morning is looking like the best of the bunch. The swell is up to 3ft from the SSW, with a 16-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 460 – that’s the strongest reading of the whole window. The wind is light and cross-shore, which is a bonus. The wave comment says “marginal surf forecast,” but it’s the best we’ve got. This is a standout for the whole period, but it’s still a small, clean-ish wave. The afternoon on the 15th gets windier, with a moderate cross-shore breeze from the W, so get on it early.

Sunday the 16th morning is similar, with 3ft and a 16-second period, but the afternoon wind kicks up again. The energy is still solid, in the 300s, but the wind will chop it up.

The last day, Monday the 17th, has a bit of a weird one. The morning is cross-shore and small, but the afternoon shows a 4ft swell from the west, with a very short 7-second period. That’s a short-period windswell, and at 4ft, it’s not too big, but the quality will be poor. The energy is moderate, but it’s going to be a messy, choppy closeout. Not ideal for the boards.

So, the long and short of it is: there isn’t a proper day of surf in the next 16 days. The only real, marginally rideable window is the morning of Saturday the 15th. It’s small, but it’s the cleanest and most powerful we’ll see. It’s a bit of a tease, but it’s something.

If you’re a beginner, don’t bother for the next two weeks. It’s all small and weak. For the more experienced, that Saturday morning is your one shot, and even then, keep your expectations low. The break is a breakwater, fairly consistent, and it can get crowded, so you might have to share the few waves that roll through.

Overall, this is a pretty barren stretch. The swell direction is consistently from the SSW, which is the optimum for this spot, but the size and the wind are just not there. It’s a waiting game, and the forecasts are not looking good.

Rusty

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