
Surf Forecasts:
Emma Wood State Beach surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 20 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 18s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 14 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 10s period, W swell with 186 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 14 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 7s period with W 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 Monday (Sep 14) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 10s. 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 1.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 14) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 2s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Mon 14th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sun 20th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Mon 14th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Emma Wood State Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s be straight with you. This 16-day window is looking pretty bleak for Emma Wood State Beach. I’ve had a look at the charts and honestly, there’s nothing here that’s going to get me out of bed before dawn. We’re talking about a run of small, weak surf from now all the way through to the end of the month. The waves are going to be there, but they’re going to be tiny – not the kind of thing you’d want to paddle out for unless you’re just learning and want to practice popping up in mush.
The energy in the water is mostly weak to moderate, with the combined swell energy sitting anywhere from the low 80s up to the mid-200s (like 168, 208, 236). That tells you there’s not a lot of push behind anything. The swell heights are the real story here – they’re all under 3 feet. Most mornings you’re looking at around 1 to 2 feet, and even the slightly better days, like the 13th and 14th, only show 3 to 3 feet. The swell direction is mostly from the west, swinging around to the southwest and south-southwest as we move through the period. That’s the right direction for this spot, but with such small waves, it doesn’t do a whole lot.
Now, the wind is mostly light, which is a good thing. On most days, you’ll have a light breeze out of the southwest or west-southwest, and the conditions look like they’ll be clean enough, especially in the mornings. The afternoons get a bit of a cross-onshore component that can chop things up a little, but nothing major. For the first spot we’re talking about, Emma Wood State Beach, the water temperature is sitting at 72° with an anomaly of 8° – that’s much warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick wetsuit.
But here’s the kicker – every single wave comment in this forecast says "poor surf conditions." That’s the whole window, from the 13th through the 28th. There’s no standout day. No day where a groundswell arrives to save the week. Even though the period lengthens into the high teens later in the month – that’s your longer-period swell, up to 19 or 20 seconds – it’s only pushing 1 to 2 feet. Long period, tiny height. That can be a bit of a tease around here, especially at a beach-and-reef set up like Emma Wood. Those long lines might break a bit too straight or just not have the grunt to stand up.
There is a few days later on, around the 28th, where the energy gets a bit more consistent and the swell swings to the southwest, but even then, you’re looking at 2 feet with moderate energy readings of 223 and 202. It’s still not enough to call it a good surf.
So, here’s my honest take: there are no good surf options in this 16-day window for this spot. If you’re absolutely desperate for a paddle, the early mornings where the wind is light and the water is smooth will give you the cleanest, though smallest, waves. But if you’re looking for something with a bit of push, you’re going to be disappointed. The good news is that this spot is fairly consistent – it may be small, but it’s not flat. This kind of run isn’t unusual for the area, and forecasts can change, so don’t lose hope for the long range just yet. I’ll be watching for anything bigger to swing in.
Stay patient, keep the board waxed, but maybe find something else to do this week.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sun afternoon, min 19°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Wed afternoon, min 18°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | ||||||||||||||
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) | W 9 | W 7 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | SW 16 | SSW 17 | SW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
103 | 72 | 142 | 76 | 76 | 79 | 50 | 38 | 119 | 74 | 100 | 98 | 85 | 84 | 96 | 96 | 69 | 81 | 111 | 81 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | glassy | on | on | cross | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 11:43PM1.34m | 11:38AM1.69m | 00:32AM1.15m | 12:06PM1.62m | 1:38AM0.97m | 12:37PM1.52m | 4:18AM0.88m | 1:21PM1.42m | 2:46PM1.33m | 8:29AM1.10m | 4:44PM1.34m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 5:47PM0.16m | 5:26AM0.45m | 6:34PM0.21m | 5:46AM0.63m | 7:28PM0.29m | 5:58AM0.79m | 8:42PM0.36m | 5:14AM0.91m | 10:25PM0.38m | 11:57PM0.32m | 10:59AM1.11m | 00:54AM0.23m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | |
7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:04 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 7 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 7 | SSW 17 | SW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | W 5 | W 5 | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 | W 5 | W 6 |
103 | 72 | 142 | 76 | 76 | 79 | 50 | 23 | 119 | 74 | 100 | 98 | 85 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 29 | 22 | 21 | 41 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | W 10 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | W 6 | W 6 | W 5 | S 10 | S 9 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
28 | 47 | 49 | 48 | 47 | 41 | 39 | 38 | 11 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 84 | 53 | 36 | 35 | 81 | 111 | 81 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 19 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | S 13 | S 9 | S 10 | W 5 | S 12 | S 10 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 |
14 | 27 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 6 | 38 | 37 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 16 | 96 | 96 | 58 | 34 | 33 | 29 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 3 | — | — | — | — | — | W 5 | — | W 4 | W 4 | W 5 | — | W 5 | W 5 |
23 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | 9 | 26 | 69 | — | 34 | 59 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 263 | 0 | 90 | 27 | 3 | 16 | 99 | 0 | 91 | 51 | 0 | 97 | 19 | 0 | 51 | 19 | 0 | 51 | 19 | 0 |
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.










