
Surf Forecasts:
Emma Wood State Beach surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 13s period, S swell with 434 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Emma Wood State Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Emma Wood State Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 03) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 5s. Another secondary swell of 1.2m and 5s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Emma Wood State Beach in the next 16 days are 1.1m 13s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Emma Wood State Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you – this is a tough one for the Emma Wood area. We're looking at a 16-day window with very little to get excited about. The water is a balmy 71°, which is a full 7° warmer than usual, so that's a real standout for the time of year, but the surf just isn't cooperating.
The pattern for the whole period is dominated by persistent onshore to cross-onshore winds, mostly from the WSW and SW. While the swell energy does show some moderate pulses, with the combined energy hitting values like 454 (moderate) on September 6th and 435 (moderate) on the 7th, the actual wave quality is consistently rated as poor. The wind is just ruining any chance of clean shape.
Thursday the 3rd kicks off the forecast with a weak, long-period S swell at 2ft, but it's blown out. The next few days see a slow increase in swell height, but it's mismanaged by the wind. By Saturday the 7th, we have a 3ft S swell with a 14-second period, but the cross-onshore wind makes it a mess. Even the marginal surf conditions on the 4th, 5th, 7th, 11th, and 12th are just that – marginal, not worth the drive.
The best chance, if you can call it that, might be a couple of windows with light winds. For instance, the mornings of the 11th and 12th of September see a 3ft and 5ft swell respectively, with light onshore breeze. The 5ft on the 12th is the biggest swell on offer, but it's a short-period 6-second W windswell, so it's going to be fat and weak. The combined energy for that is only 306 (moderate), confirming its lack of grunt. For a beginner, that 5ft might be a bit much, but it's the only time the height gets close to interesting.
After that, it drops off a cliff. From the 13th of September right through to the end of the 18th, the swell plummets, with heights barely reaching 2ft. The energy readings drop to weak values, like 45 (weak) on the 14th. This is a long, flat gap of nearly a week with no real surf potential.
So, there are no standouts here. We're looking at a mostly flat run with a few marginal, wind-affected days. About the only thing to note is that the water is unusually warm. For a spot like Emma Wood, which is a fairly consistent beach and reef, this is a poor run. It's the kind of setup that looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer when the wind is up. Keep your eyes on the forecasts, but don't hold your breath.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Fri morning, min 19°C on Thu afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Tue afternoon, min 20°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
62 | 57 | 211 | 188 | 179 | 223 | 212 | 217 | 232 | 395 | 377 | 399 | 366 | 427 | 355 | 361 | 350 | 125 | 140 | 123 | 115 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 2:04PM1.64m | 3:29PM1.62m | 7:34AM1.03m | 5:02PM1.68m | 8:00AM1.16m | 6:18PM1.79m | 8:27AM1.27m | 7:17PM1.89m | 8:54AM1.39m | 8:08PM1.94m | 9:21AM1.50m | 8:53PM1.94m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 10:31PM0.23m | 00:02AM0.10m | 10:31AM1.00m | 1:04AM-0.05m | 12:16PM0.90m | 1:51AM-0.17m | 1:20PM0.73m | 2:31AM-0.23m | 2:11PM0.55m | 3:07AM-0.23m | 2:56PM0.39m | 3:39AM-0.17m | |||||||||
6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | |
— | 7:21 | — | — | 7:19 | — | — | 7:17 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:14 | — | — | 7:12 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 23 |
Feels °C | 21 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | W 5 | W 5 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | W 5 | SSW 10 |
12 | 13 | 24 | 188 | 179 | 223 | 212 | 217 | 232 | 395 | 377 | 399 | 366 | 427 | 355 | 361 | 350 | 91 | 140 | 26 | 90 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SSE 13 | SW 13 | S 12 | S 13 | S 13 | SSW 16 | WNW 5 | W 5 | W 5 | W 5 | W 7 | W 5 | W 5 | W 12 | SSW 13 | SW 19 | SSW 10 | W 5 |
62 | 57 | 211 | 59 | 82 | 80 | 125 | 115 | 162 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 125 | 94 | 123 | 20 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SSW 10 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSE 13 | W 4 | WNW 6 | SW 11 | WNW 5 | SW 14 | WSW 11 | SW 10 | SW 10 | — | W 10 | SW 18 | S 21 | W 5 | SSW 16 | SW 17 | SSW 17 |
58 | 34 | 47 | 42 | 55 | 6 | 10 | 18 | 9 | 54 | 11 | 4 | 4 | — | 2 | 12 | 9 | 17 | 25 | 70 | 115 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | W 4 | WNW 5 | — | W 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 5 | — | — | W 4 | WNW 4 | W 4 | W 5 | W 5 | WNW 5 | — |
21 | 26 | 56 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | — | — | 9 | 5 | 9 | 28 | 13 | 40 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 51 | 19 | 0 | 90 | 940 | 0 | 99 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 27 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 27 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Ventura County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Emma Wood State Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Emma Wood State Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Emma Wood State Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Emma Wood State Beach surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Emma Wood State Beach) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Emma Wood State Beach may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Emma Wood State Beach is 5 km (3 miles) from the city of Ventura. If you plan a vacation in Ventura County, look for hotels and other accommodation in Ventura. Ventura has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










