La Jolla Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight up about it... the next sixteen days are looking pretty grim for the lineup. We've got a proper drought on our hands, so don't go getting your hopes up. If you're desperate for a paddle, there are a few tiny windows, but nothing to get excited about.

The whole stretch is mostly junk. From Wednesday the 19th of August right through to the very end of the month, it's just poor surf conditions, day after day. The swell is tiny, mostly under 3 feet, with short, weak periods. The wind is a constant cross or cross-onshore breeze, keeping things messy. The combined swell energy is mostly in the double digits, rarely cracking 100—just weak, anemic stuff (like 99 on Wednesday afternoon). It's a long, flat spell. We do see a bump coming from the SW around the 22nd and 23rd with some very long period energy (19 seconds), but the height is only 1 to 2 feet and the wind stays cross-onshore, so it never cleans up. The energy figures jump into the low 200s on Sunday the 23rd (282), but the cross-onshore wind just chops it all up. This pattern of small, long-period SW groundswell and onshore wind basically repeats itself through the end of the month and into September. It's not going to happen for us.

So, the only spot we've got to work with is La Jolla Cove. This is a reef and point break that's consistent, but with these tiny, wind-affected swells, it’s just not breaking with any quality. The water is a touch warmer than normal at 71°, which is nice, but not much else is. The optimum swell direction is NW, but we're mostly seeing small, weak WNW swell or these long-period SW swells that aren't doing the job. One point—on the 30th of August and into September, the swell ticks up just a bit, hitting 3 feet from the WNW with moderate energy (105 to 161). But the wind goes cross or cross-onshore, so again, it's not a surfer's wave. It's that classic small, onshore chop. On the 1st of September, we see that long-period SW energy again (262) but only at 2 feet with a cross-onshore breeze. For this break, with this wind, it’s more of a mess than a wave.

Honestly, there's no standout session anywhere in this forecast. The best of a bad bunch might be the afternoon of the 30th of August, with a 3-foot WNW swell (105 combined energy), but with that gentle cross-onshore breeze, it'll still be choppy. That's about the best we can say. If you're a beginner, the height never really gets over 3 feet, so it's not dangerous, but the quality is so poor there's nothing to learn on. For experts, there's simply no power. It's a blank run, which is a bummer, but it happens. The swell just isn't cooperating. Keep your board in the car, but maybe don't rush to the water.

Rusty, signing off.

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