Long Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s brewing for our local sandbar.

Alright, things are a bit of a slow starter for Long Beach. The first real swell that’s worth paddling out for kicks off on Friday afternoon the 17th. We’ve got a solid 6ft swell coming from the SW, with a period of 10 seconds, and a light cross-offshore breeze from the same direction. The water is sitting at 58°, which is about what you’d expect for this time of year. The wave energy is moderate (640), and it’s looking clean. This is a good, solid intro to the run.

The real standout window opens up on Monday morning the 20th. It’s glassy, dead calm, with a 5ft swell from the SSW. The conditions are pristine, and the combined energy is moderate (582). This is the kind of morning you set the alarm for. The wind is going to be light and variable, making for some of the cleanest waves we’ll see in the first week.

Tuesday morning the 21st is another cracker. It’s glassy again, with a 5ft swell from the SSW and a long 14-second period. That’s a proper groundswell with some real push. The energy is ramping up (915), and with no wind, it’s going to be smooth. This is a top pick for the early part of the run.

Now, hold onto your boardies. The big one is coming. On Friday the 24th, we’ve got a serious pulse of swell. The morning shows a 12ft SW swell with a 15-second period. That’s very long period groundswell, and the energy is absolutely pumping (5036). This is for experienced surfers only – it’s big, powerful, and not for the faint of heart. The wind is light and cross-offshore, so the waves will be clean. This is the standout of the entire forecast. Saturday the 25th is still holding size, but the wind picks up a bit. Sunday the 26th is a write-off for paddle surfing with a gale force wind, but it’ll be a kiteboarder’s paradise.

The second week has a few more highlights, but less certainty. A solid option is on Monday the 27th. The afternoon brings a 6ft SSW swell with a 16-second period, and the wind is light and offshore. The energy is strong (2619), and it’s clean. This is your best bet for that Monday afternoon session. Tuesday the 28th is okay, but the swell is a bit smaller. By Wednesday the 29th, the onshore winds start to mess things up, and the quality drops off. The run fizzles out by the end of the month and into August, with persistent onshore winds and small, messy waves.

So, to wrap it up: the best of the best is the morning of Friday the 24th for the big, clean groundswell, and the glassy mornings of Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st for the most user-friendly perfection. Keep an eye on the long-range Monday the 27th afternoon as a promising, but less certain, late option.

Rusty.

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