Linda Mar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a good look at what’s coming our way for Linda Mar.

The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got some consistent swell on the way, but the wind is going to be a real player, keeping things choppy and messy for most of the time. There’s a lot of cross-onshore breeze to deal with, which isn’t great for clean faces. The water’s running at about 61.3°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so you can leave the thickest wetsuit at home.

The biggest issue is the wind. From now through to the end of this week (the 1st of August), it’s mostly a cross-onshore mess. Swell heights are hovering between 6.2 ft and 8.2 ft from the NW, with period around 7 to 8 seconds (moderate wave energy in the 372–1450 range), but the wind is just not cooperating. The mornings on Wednesday, July 29th, and Thursday, July 30th, offer a slight chance of a marginal, bumpy wave, but honestly, the surf quality is rated poor. Friday the 31st looks the same – size is there, but it’s just not clean.

Then we hit the weekend. Saturday morning, August 1st, the swell is solid at 7.9 ft from the NW (energy up at 1450), and the wind drops to a light breeze. It’s still cross-on, so it’ll be a bit lumpy, but it’s the best it’s been for a few days. Sunday morning, August 2nd, also has a light breeze with an 8.2 ft NW swell, period lifting to 9 seconds (energy of 1293). Both these mornings are marginal and not true standouts, but they’re the most likely windows for a wave if you’re desperate, especially for a beginner looking for a mushy, forgiving wave. Just be aware, the size is getting up there – over 5 ft, so it might be too much for absolute beginners, and on Saturday it’s pushing 8.2 ft.

The real standout, if you can wait, is Monday morning, August 3rd. The wind finally shifts to a light cross-off breeze from the SSW, and the swell is a solid 8.2 ft from the NW with a 10-second period (energy of 1250). That’s an excellent setup for experienced surfers – the cross-off wind will groom the faces, and the longer period gives the waves some punch. Clean conditions and decent size. This is the one to circle on your calendar. After that, the Tuesday morning, August 4th, is still clean with a lighter cross-off breeze and a smaller 5.9 ft NW swell (energy 599), which will be more manageable and a really good session for a wider range of surfers.

The rest of the first week into the second week sees more of the same cross-onshore chop, though the size stays in the 4.6 ft to 7.5 ft range. Wednesday morning, August 5th, has clean conditions but only a small 4.6 ft swell. By August 12th and 13th, we see a long-period 16-17 second groundswell arrive from the SW, but it’s tiny (2.6 ft) and the wind is a problem again. That long period for a beach break like Linda Mar can make it break straight and fat, not ideal, so it’s not something to get excited about.

Big picture: the best bet by far is the Monday the 3rd of August morning. Set your alarm for that.

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