La Jolla Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, with the long-range outlook for La Jolla Cove. Let's be straight – the next week or so is pretty grim for a proper surf. We're looking at a long stretch of small, weak windswell with poor conditions.

The water temp is sitting at 74°, which is a massive 7° warmer than what you'd usually expect for the time of year. It feels like bathwater out there.

Starting from Tuesday the 28th of July right through to the morning of Sunday the 2nd of August, it's a write-off. We've got ankle-to-knee high dribble from the WNW, barely pushing 3 ft. The energy is weak (between 63 and 94 on the combined scale), coupled with light cross or cross-onshore breezes. The report is calling it "poor surf conditions" and scoring it a zero. You're better off grabbing a coffee.

We do see a slight uptick in energy on Sunday afternoon the 2nd of August, hitting 214 from a WNW swell. The swell is still only 3 ft, but the wind goes light and cross-shore. Still not clean enough for a recommendation, though.

Monday the 3rd of August is the first time we see something you could call borderline. Morning sees a 3 ft WNW swell with a combined energy of 287. The wind is light and cross-shore. It gets a score of 1 out of 10, which is described as "marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions." If you're desperate and the tides line up, you might find a dribbly little wave, but don't expect much.

After that, from Tuesday the 4th of August right through to the morning of Tuesday the 11th of August, it’s back to the same story. Tiny swells, mostly under 2 ft, with poor winds, and consistent "poor surf conditions" ratings. There is a period from the 4th to the 7th where we see a long-period 13-15 second SW groundswell, but it's still only 2-2 ft. The energy stays moderate (in the 100s) but the size just isn't there. It's a tease.

Now, for the far end of the forecast, Wednesday the 12th of August is the only window worth mentioning as a possible standout. Morning shows a 3 ft SW groundswell with a combined energy of 369 and a 17-second period. The wind is a gentle cross-shore breeze.

By Wednesday afternoon the 12th of August, it bumps up to a 3 ft SW swell with a big jump in energy to 639. The period is 16 seconds. The wind is still a gentle cross-shore. This gets a score of 1, called "marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions." It's still small, but the energy is real and the long period means it could offer a bit of shape if you're on a log. The key issue is the size – 3 ft isn't much, even if the energy is there. For a reef and point break like La Jolla Cove, that long-period SW swell should wrap in with a bit more push than a typical windswell. It’s not one to get excited about, but it’s the best on offer in the whole 16 days.

The takeaway is this: we have nearly two weeks of very poor surf, with only a couple of days that even tick into the "marginal" category. The long-range blip on the 12th has some promise, but it's a long way out and the size is still tiny. It's a waiting game.

Rusty.

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