La Jolla Shores Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for La Jolla Shores. Gotta be honest with you, this 16-day window is a bit of a slow grind. The first week is mostly a bust – we’re looking at a lot of poor and marginal surf with cross-shore winds messing things up. The real action doesn't start to build until late in the run, so patience is key.

The first few days from Thursday the 16th through to the 21st are pretty flat and messy. We’re seeing small swells, mostly in the 2 ft to 4 ft range, with a persistent cross-shore breeze from the south. It’s choppy, there’s no real energy (combined energy hanging around 290 to 654), and the scores are reflecting that – it’s just not worth paddling out. Saturday the 19th does see a jump in swell height to 6 ft from the S, but with a 13-second period and cross-onshore wind, it’s going to be a wall of whitewater. Not great.

Things start to look slightly more interesting around Thursday the 23rd. We’ve got a 6 ft to 6 ft south swell kicking in, with a period of 13 seconds. The wind finally turns light and cross-shore, which will clean it up a bit. The combined energy is climbing into the 1300s, so there’s some real push behind it. This is the first day you’d consider a paddle, but it’s still marginal – the swell direction (S) isn’t perfect for the Shores, which likes a more westerly angle.

The standout window, and the best bet in the whole outlook, is Friday the 24th and into the weekend. Friday morning is your pick. The swell is 6 ft from the S, 13-second period, and the wind is light (10 km/h) from the SW, making for a clean, light cross-shore session. The combined energy is pumping at 2052, which is the strongest we see. This is a proper groundswell, and while 6 ft is a bit much for a beginner, it’s going to offer some fun, punchy walls for the experienced crew. Crowds are *sometimes* an issue here, so on a Friday morning you might dodge the worst of it.

Heading into the next week, Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th still have some decent energy (4 ft to 5 ft, 17-19 second period from the SSW), with light winds again. The combined energy is still strong, in the 1200-1400 range. These are good secondary options, but the swell direction is a bit more south, so the waves might be a little straighter. Worth a look if you missed the Friday peak.

After that, it fades. By Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th, the swell drops back to 3 ft, and the energy is gone. Back to the slow zone.

The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no need for a wetsuit – just boardshorts and a rash guard.

So, to wrap it up: the first four or five days are a write-off. Don’t bother. The first real chance is Thursday the 23rd, but hold out for Friday morning, the 24th – that’s your standout. Clean, punchy, and the most energy we’ll see. After that, Monday the 27th is a solid follow-up. Everything else is a gamble.

Rusty.

Read more