Little Rincon Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what we've got coming up for Little Rincon.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next week and a half is looking pretty flat. The swell is tiny, mostly around 1ft to 1ft, and coming from the SSW for the most part. The water is a toasty 69°, which is a whopping 6° warmer than usual for this time of year – that's a real anomaly, feels more like a tropical bath than a typical August surf. The wind is blowing onshore from the WSW, which is the wrong direction for this spot. The wave energy is weak, barely cracking 100 (combined energy of all swells directed here) for days, and the wave comment is consistently "poor surf conditions." It's a tough start.

We finally see a little bump in energy on the 23rd of August, with the swell nudging up to 1ft, but it's still messy. The period jumps to 15 seconds on the 24th, giving a touch more shape, but the size is just too small to do anything with. The combined energy (155) is still weak. This pattern of tiny, onshore wind swell drags on right through the end of the month.

Now, look ahead to the 28th of August. The energy jumps up to 365 (combined energy of all swells directed here), which is a solid moderate kick, and the period stretches out to a very long 19 seconds. That's a proper groundswell pulse. The problem? It's still only 1ft. That long period will make for some super clean, glassy lines at this reef, but they'll be tiny. The wind is light offshore, which is a massive plus.

The best chance you'll get in this whole 16-day window is around the 29th and 30th of August. We see the swell size climb to 2ft to 2ft, still from the SSW, with a period holding strong at 15-17 seconds. The combined energy sits around 320-334 (combined energy of all swells directed here), which is moderate. The wind stays light and offshore from the SW. This is a stand-out window for Little Rincon. The waves will be clean, glassy, and have that long-period punch. It's a reef break, so that long-period swell will wrap in nicely and give you a proper, long, peeling wave. It's rated as "fairly consistent" but crowds are "sometimes" a thing, so you might have company. For a spot that's been totally flat, this is a welcome change.

After that little pulse, it fades back to tiny, poor surf again through the first week of September. The 4th of September sees a bit of energy (267 combined energy) and a 16-second period, but with rain showers and a cross-shore wind, it's not worth getting excited about.

So, the honest truth? There's a big gap of flat, onshore slop until the 29th of August. That Friday and Saturday morning (29th & 30th) are your best bet – they're the clear standouts with clean, long-period, waist-high waves. Everything else is a write-off. Keep your expectations low, and if you see that offshore wind and a bit of swell on the 29th, grab the log and go.

Rusty.

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