Long Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming for Long Beach. We’ve got some real potential, but we’re gonna have to wait out a few rough days to get to the good stuff.

The window opens up on Saturday, 1st August. Swell is a fun 4ft out of the SW at 13 seconds, so that’s a long-period groundswell. The combined energy is moderate (529). Winds are light and offshore from the SSW, meaning clean conditions. The water is sitting at 58°F, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year. Long Beach is a sandbar, so that long period might make it a little straight, but for a Saturday afternoon, it’s a nice, clean start. Crowds are possible, but it’s a good one to get wet.

Sunday, 2nd August, is a total loss. The wind swings onshore and it’s just messy. Skip it.

Monday, 3rd August, is the real standout. The morning is glassy with zero wind. The swell holds at 4ft from the WSW, period 14 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to strong (1076). That’s a proper groundswell with clean, glassy faces. This is the best session of the first week. The afternoon stays clean with a light cross-off breeze. If you can get out Monday morning, do it.

Tuesday, 4th August, is still clean with light offshore winds and 5ft swell. Good, but not as clean as Monday.

Wednesday, 5th August, things get nasty. The wind cranks onshore at 15 mph, the swell jumps to 8ft, and by the afternoon it’s a raw 10ft. The combined energy is through the roof (2315 and 3631), but it’s a total mess. For the average surfer, this is a no-go. This carries into Thursday, 6th August, with a massive 13ft swell, but again, the wind is cross-shore and it’s marginal. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session.

Then comes Friday, 7th August. This is the real highlight. The swell drops to a punchy 10ft out of the SW, period 13 seconds, and the combined energy is still very strong (3555). The wind is light and cross-offshore in the morning, then goes glassy offshore in the afternoon. This is big, powerful, and clean – only for experienced surfers, but if you’ve got the skills, this is the best day of the week.

Saturday, 8th August, is a washout. Strong winds blow through and the swell is big and messy.

Now, Sunday, 9th August, is a monster. The swell hits 23ft out of the SSW with a 12-second period, and the combined energy absolutely skyrockets to 13590. That’s extreme. Winds are moderate, but the size is beyond anything most of us can handle. Surfers should be very cautious – this is a major event, but the conditions are marginal. It gets even bigger in the afternoon.

Monday, 10th August, through Tuesday, 11th August, is a write-off. Strong onshore winds and a messy cross-chop. The swell is still huge, but it’s not surfable.

The pattern finally settles down on Wednesday, 12th August. The swell drops to a manageable 8ft from the SSE, period 11 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (1754). Winds are light and cross-offshore, and the surf is clean. This is a solid option for a mid-week session.

Thursday, 13th August, is a letdown. The swell is tiny at 4ft, but the wind is fresh offshore. It’s clean, but there’s not much to ride.

Friday, 14th August, is still small, but the afternoon shows a very long-period 20-second swell from the WSW. That’s a groundswell, and the combined energy (1733) is moderate. It’s clean, but the wave shape at a sandbar might be a bit straight. Worth a look if you’re patient.

Saturday, 15th August, starts with a cross-on wind and 8ft swell, but the afternoon on the 15th is a standout. The wind goes light offshore, the swell is 10ft from the SW at 15 seconds, and the combined energy is very strong (4348). This is a classic, long-period groundswell with clean offshore conditions. Only for experts, but it’s a proper session.

Sunday, 16th August, ends the run with a strong onshore wind and a big 10ft swell. Not great.

So to sum it up: the best windows are Monday morning, 3rd August, for the glassy conditions, and Friday, 7th August, and Saturday afternoon, 15th August, for the big, clean, powerful swell. Those are the ones to clear your schedule for.

Rusty.

Read more