Linda Mar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty comin' at you with the full outlook for our local stretch. We're lookin' at a tricky 16-day window, so let's get into it straight up.

Right off the bat, we got a bit of a flat start. The first proper surf recommendation isn't 'til Monday morning, August 17th, but even then, it's a bit of a tease. The swell is there, but the conditions are just *off*. We're talkin' a 3 ft SW groundswell with a long 15-second period rollin' into Linda Mar, but that cross-shore wind from the WSW at 6 mph is puttin' small ripples on the face. The combined energy is moderate at 402, but the forecast is a "marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions" – it’s just not clean enough to get excited about. For the rest of that week, we’re stuck in a similar pattern: small to moderate NW swells, mostly in the 5 ft to 6 ft range, but the wind is constantly cross-onshore. Tuesday through Friday are all a write-off, with the wind pickin' up to a moderate breeze and the wave quality just turnin' to chop. It's lookin' pretty bleak.

We hit a dry spell from the 17th all the way through to the 27th of August, with no real standout days. That's a solid 10-day gap of poor to marginal conditions for Linda Mar. The water temp anomaly data isn't provided in the finder file for the breaks, so I can't comment on that.

Now, for the end of the month and start of September, we start to see a glimmer of hope, but it's still not a slam dunk. On Thursday morning, August 27th, we get a 5 ft NW swell with a 9-second period and a light cross-onshore breeze from the WSW at 6 mph. The combined energy is moderate at 381, but again, it's only a "marginal" call. The wind is light, but it's on the wrong side. This same pattern repeats on the 28th and 29th, with a SW groundswell on the 29th pushin' the combined energy up to 630 (still moderate), but the wind is still messin' it up.

The most promising window actually lands at the very end of the forecast, on Monday, August 31st. We've got a 6 ft NW swell with a short 7-second period and a light WSW breeze at only 3 mph, makin' for a slight air. The combined energy is a solid 638 (moderate), and the forecast is "marginal" with a score of 2 out of 10 – which is the highest in the whole 16 days. The wind is almost calm, which could make for some clean, if a bit weak, waves. This is the one to keep an eye on, but remember, we're talkin' far out, so it's a hopeful lookout, not a guarantee. For a beginner spot like Linda Mar, the 6 ft swell is on the upper edge of comfortable, but the light wind could make it work. Don't expect perfection, but it might just be the best we get.

So, overall, it's a pretty bleak run. The wind is our biggest enemy, and the swell never really lines up with it. If you're desperate, the morning of August 31st is your best bet. Otherwise, it might be a good time to wax the longboard and just go for a paddle.

Rusty.

Read more