La Jolla Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaking for the next couple of weeks down at La Jolla Cove. I gotta be straight with you – the start is a bit of a flat spell. We’re looking at a long gap with no real surf to speak of from now all the way through the early days of the month. The first bit of action that’s even worth talking about doesn’t show up until the morning of Wednesday the 9th, and even then, it’s pretty weak. That morning, we get a little pulse of 2ft from the southwest with 16-second period, which has some deep-water energy (214). But the wind is a light cross-onshore, and the spot is pretty exposed for that direction, so the quality is poor. You’d be straining for scraps.

Thursday the 10th stays marginal. Both the morning and afternoon see 3ft from the southwest, with a long 17-second period in the a.m. and 16 seconds in the p.m. The energy jumps up into the moderate range (639 in the morning, 558 in the afternoon), but the wind is light and crossing, which doesn’t do much for the shape here. Still, it’s a step up from the total nothing we’ve had.

Now, if you can hold out, Friday the 11th is our first genuine standout. The morning session is the one to target. We’ve got a clean 3ft of southwest swell with a nice 15-second period, pushing a solid 594 units of energy. What really seals the deal is the wind: light and cross-offshore from the SSW. That’s going to tidy things up nicely. The water is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting around 72°. The afternoon fades a bit, dropping to 3ft from the WNW and a shorter 7-second period, so the morning is the call.

The following Saturday the 12th offers some size, with 5ft in the morning and 5ft in the afternoon from the west. The energy is there (318 and 445). It’s clean with a cross-off breeze, but with short 8-second period, it’ll be a bit lumpy. This is getting towards the upper end for beginners. Sunday the 13th is a washout with choppy conditions.

We then hit another long, quiet run. From Monday the 14th right through to the end of our window, it’s pretty grim. Swells stay small, mostly under 3ft, with cross-onshore and onshore winds messing things up. The energy is there on paper many days (a few 200s and 300s, even a 443 on the 18th and a big 656 on the 20th), but the wind direction just ruins the quality. There’s some promise late in the afternoon on Saturday the 19th, where we see 3ft from the southwest, 18-second period, and a clean cross-off breeze. That gives a score of "expect good surf conditions." But it’s a long way out, so file that one under ‘check closer to the date.’

For the best bet in this whole window? Lock in Friday morning, the 11th of September. That’s the one where it all comes together for a bit.

Rusty.

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