Long Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Long Beach.

We’ve got a run of surf coming through, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The first couple of days are okay, but the real standout is shaping up for the start of September. There’s a bit of a lull after that, and then we get into some proper, strong conditions that are only for the experienced.

The water temp is sitting at 58°F, which is about 3°F colder than normal for this time of year. You’ll want a good wetsuit.

Sunday 30th August kicks things off with a solid 8ft southwest swell, period at 12 seconds. The wind is a fresh 19 mph from the SSE, which is cross-offshore, keeping things clean. The energy is strong. It’s a decent start, but don't expect perfection. The afternoon stays similar with a clean offshore wind.

Monday 31st August sees the swell drop a touch to 7ft, but the wind eases right off to a gentle 9 mph offshore breeze. The morning has an 11-second period. This is where it gets good. A solid Monday morning session.

Tuesday 1st September is the pick of the first week. The swell pushes up to 10ft in the morning, swinging to the SW with a 13-second period. The wind is a gentle 9 mph cross-offshore, and the energy jumps. By the afternoon, it’s 12ft with a light 6 mph offshore wind, and energy is massive. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The direction is perfect for the optimum southwest swell direction. This is a standout.

Wednesday 2nd September holds the swell at 10ft, but the wind picks up to 16 mph from the SSE. It’s still cross-off, but the morning is marginal. The afternoon is better, with a 12 mph offshore wind and clean conditions. Still expert territory.

Thursday 3rd September is a write-off. We’ve got a wild 21ft swell from the SSW with a 12-second period, but the wind is howling at 31 mph. The energy is off the charts, but it’s a messy, lumpy, rain-showery mess. Not for paddling, but if you’ve got a kite, this is when it gets interesting.

Friday 4th and Saturday 5th September are no good. The swell drops and the wind is still strong, creating poor conditions. The only weird thing is Saturday afternoon sees a 2ft swell with a 19-second period – that’s a very long period groundswell, but it’s not enough to overcome the 28 mph onshore wind.

Sunday 6th September is a return to form. The swell is a clean 5ft from the SW, with a 15-second period. The wind is a gentle 9 mph from the ESE. The energy is moderate. The morning is marked as very good surf conditions. This is a nice, cleaner option after the chaos.

Monday 7th to Wednesday 9th September is a quiet period. Swell drops to under 3ft, energy is low. It’s surfable but very ordinary. Wednesday afternoon has a glassy 3ft swell with a 15-second period, which is about as good as it gets in this flat spell.

Thursday 10th September sees a pulse of 10ft from the SSE, but with a short 7-second period, it’s going to be a bit of a washing machine. The wind is cross-offshore, so it’s clean, but the quality is marginal.

Friday 11th to Sunday 13th September is a no-go. Strong winds (up to 31 mph) and building swell from the SE make for poor, dangerous conditions. The energy is high, but it’s not for surfing.

Monday 14th September is another poor day with onshore wind and a dropping swell.

So, the standouts are clear: Tuesday 1st September is the best of the bunch, with 12ft clean SW swell and light offshore winds for the experts. Sunday 6th September is a good call for a cleaner, more manageable session on the 5ft SW groundswell.

Rusty out.

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