La Jolla Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: this outlook is a tough one. We’re looking at a 16-day window for the La Jolla Cove area, and for the next week and a half, there’s not much love on offer. The first real chance of anything surfable doesn’t show up until the tail end of the second week. So, if you’re keen to get wet, you’ll be waiting a while.

Starting off, the first week is a write-off. From Friday the 7th right through to the end of the following week, it’s all tiny, weak swell with mostly cross-onshore or light cross-shore winds. The combined wave energy is mostly weak, with values often under 100 (like 7, 8, or 13), and the odd moderate spike (144) but still attached to poor surf conditions. There’s a long period swell (13 seconds) on the Friday morning, but it’s only 2ft and cross-onshore, so it’s messy and weak. The water temperature is 75° here, which is a whopping 8° warmer than usual – that’s very unusual, so you’ll be swimming in bathwater, but there’s nothing to surf.

We’ve got a few days where the wind goes clean, like Monday the 10th afternoon and Tuesday the 11th morning, with cross-offshore breezes and clean conditions. But the swell is still tiny – 1ft to 2ft, and the energy is moderate (187 to 196). It’s clean, but it’s barely a ripple. This is a spot that’s a reef and point break, and it’s consistent, but it needs a bit more punch than this.

Now, the second week starts to show a little glimmer, but it’s still not great. Around Wednesday the 12th morning, we get a 2ft SW swell with a 17-second period and moderate energy (285), but it’s still marginal. The wind is light cross-shore, so it’s not terrible, but it’s not a standout. The real eyebrow-raiser comes on Thursday the 13th afternoon. The swell jumps to 3ft from the SW, with a 16-second period and strong energy (381). Winds are light cross-shore, so it’ll be clean. This is the best window in the whole forecast. It’s still small, but the long period groundswell means it’ll have some shape, and for a point and reef setup like La Jolla Cove, that’s a plus. It’s not huge, so it’s fine for beginners, but the crowds are possible here, and with the lack of surf elsewhere, it might be a bit more social than usual.

After that, it fades again. The rest of the week into the 16th sees tiny, weak swell (0.7ft to 1ft) with light onshore or cross-shore winds. It’s a long gap of nothing. By the 20th and 21st, we get a few more pulses of SW swell with moderate energy (104 to 106), but it’s small and cross-onshore, so it’s not worth the paddle.

The standout for the entire 16 days is the afternoon of Thursday the 13th. That 3ft SW swell with a 16-second period and strong energy (381) is the only time the ocean looks remotely interesting. The light cross-shore wind will keep it glassy, and the long period will give it some push. It’s not a day to clear your schedule, but if you’re desperate, that’s your window.

So, to sum it up: a long, slow start, a tiny pulse on the 12th, a glimmer on the 13th afternoon, then back to the flat. It’s a tough run for a spot that’s usually consistent, but it happens. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it, but for now, don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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