Linda Mar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s cooking for Linda Mar over the next couple of weeks.

The setup is honest: we’re looking at a long stretch of mostly cross-onshore winds and choppy conditions, which is going to make things tough. There’s a bit of a mixed bag of swell, but the quality is a real issue. The water is sitting at 16° with a much warmer than normal anomaly, so you’ll be comfortable in a spring suit, maybe even a shorty if you run hot.

The first real chance to paddle out comes on Thursday, July 16th, but it’s not great. The swell is 8 ft from the NW with a short 8-second period, and the wind is a cross-on at 16 mph. The combined energy is moderate (951), but the waves are going to be choppy and messy. This is more of a “get wet for the exercise” session than anything else.

Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th are similar stories: cross-on winds, surf dropping from 7 ft to 2 ft, and the energy fading. The swell is still short-period. Sunday the 19th is a bit of a tease with a 5 ft NW swell but the clouds and cross-on wind keep it from cleaning up.

The real standout is Tuesday, July 21st. This is the one to circle. The morning sees a glassy, almost flat wind, with a light 3 mph breeze from the WNW. The swell is 3 ft from the SW with a long 15-second period, giving it a clean, lined-up feel. The energy is moderate (402), but the conditions will be the best of the entire forecast. It’s the only time we see a glassy state, and the combined energy and period suggest the waves will hold shape nicely on the better sandbanks. If you’ve got a log or a funboard, this is your window.

After that, things get pretty grim. From the 22nd through the 24th, we’re back to cross-onshore winds and choppy, weak surf. The swell is small and short-period.

The second week shows a bit more energy, but it’s messy. The 25th and 26th have some long-period SW groundswell (21 and 19 seconds), but the wind is still cross-onshore. The 28th has a 5 ft SW swell, but the wind is up to 16 mph, which will ruin it.

The final highlight is Thursday, July 30th. The morning is clean with a cross-offshore wind from the SSW, and the swell is 7 ft from the WNW. This is a solid size for Linda Mar, and the clean wind will make it look good. It’s a bit big for beginners, but for the regulars, it’s the best of the late period. The combined energy is moderate (581), and the direction is right on the money.

So, to wrap it up: Tuesday the 21st morning is the clear winner for clean, glassy conditions, and Thursday the 30th morning is the standout for size and shape. The rest of the window is a grind. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but for now, those are your best bets.

Rusty.

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