Long Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Long Beach has in store for us.

Well, the start of this forecast period is a bit of a write-off, to be honest. There’s some solid swell energy rolling in, with the combined energy hitting a hefty 3984, but Thursday the 13th is a mess. We’ve got an 8ft SW groundswell with a long 17-second period, but that cross-onshore wind is just chopping it up. It’s marginal at best, and the water’s sitting at 57°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year. Friday the 14th is even worse, with poor conditions and onshore winds. You won’t want a bar of it.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Saturday the 15th. The morning sees the wind swing light and offshore from the SE, cleaning up a 6ft WSW swell. The afternoon gets even better, with clean, offshore conditions and the swell bumping up to 7ft. The combined energy is a solid 1504. It’s not huge, but it’s clean and rideable. Good for an intermediate session.

Sunday the 16th is a bit of a letdown – the wind swings back onshore and the quality drops right off. You’ll want to give that a miss.

Now, here’s the standout. Mark Monday the 17th on your calendar. Early morning we’ve got absolute glass – zero wind. The swell is a solid 8ft from the WSW with a decent 13-second period and combined energy of 2354. That’s going to be *excellent* for experienced surfers, but remember, that’s a solid 8ft, so it’s for the crew who know what they’re doing, not beginners. The afternoon stays clean with a light offshore breeze. The period is a bit shorter (13 seconds) for a groundswell, which should actually keep the waves from getting too straight, making Long Beach’s sandbar setup work better. Crowds are often an issue here, so get in early if you can.

Tuesday the 18th still offers clean, cross-offshore conditions, but the swell drops off to 6ft. A fun, manageable size if you missed Monday.

From Wednesday the 19th, things get ugly again with strong winds. The 20th has a near-gale and a short-period windswell – that’s more kite-surfing territory than paddling. There’s a bit of a gap of poor, windy conditions right through to the middle of the following week.

Looking further ahead, Saturday the 22nd shows some promise, with a solid 7ft SW groundswell and a long 16-second period, but the wind is up to 25 mph in the afternoon, which kills it. The morning might be worth a look if the wind forecast cleans up, but it's too far out to bank on.

The last week of the forecast is quiet. Swell drops off and onshore winds dominate. Nothing worth getting excited about from the 23rd onward.

So, to sum it up: Monday the 17th morning is the absolute best on offer. Get down to Long Beach for the glassy, chest-to-head-high sets. Saturday the 15th is your next best bet for a clean, smaller wave.

Rusty.

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