Long Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Long Beach. We’ve got a solid run of SW groundswell on the cards, but the wind is going to be the main character in this story. It’s not a straight-forward pick, but there are windows of pure magic if you play it smart.

The water temp is sitting right on 60°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We kick off Friday the 24th with a proper thump. The swell is a solid 12 ft from the SW with a long 14-second period, and the combined energy is pumping at 5380. That’s strong, powerful stuff. The morning is glassy, absolute perfection for the experienced crew. This is serious, powerful surf. It’s a standout for the whole period: big, clean, and grunty. By the afternoon, the wind swings to a gentle offshore from the S, and the swell drops just a touch to 10 ft, but it’s still a fantastic session for those who can handle it.

Saturday the 25th backs off a bit. The swell is down to 7 ft in the morning and 8 ft in the afternoon, with a 12-second period, but the wind is a cross-off from the SE at 12 mph. It’s still clean, but the energy is moderate and the conditions are more ‘good’ than ‘epic’.

Sunday the 26th is another nice one. Swell is 7 ft in the morning, easing to 6 ft in the afternoon. The wind is light and then goes offshore from the S. The energy is moderate (1590 and 1373), but with those clean conditions, it’s a very pleasant day for a longboard or a mid-length.

Now, Monday the 27th gets a bit wild. The swell jumps back up to 10 ft, and the period gets long at 17 seconds, which is a proper groundswell. The energy is ripping at 4745. But the wind is a fresh cross-off from the SSE at 19 mph in the morning, and then it turns into a near gale from the SE at 31 mph in the afternoon. That afternoon session is a write-off for paddle surfing. The morning is for experts only, and even then, it’s a battle.

Tuesday the 28th and Wednesday the 29th are still pushing big swell (10 ft and 8 ft), but the wind is strong and cross-off or cross-shore. It’s messy and blown out for the most part. Wednesday afternoon does go glassy with a 5 ft swell, offering a small window of clean, smaller waves.

Thursday the 30th is the first real calm day. The swell drops to 4 ft, the energy is weak (543), but it’s glassy in the morning and has a gentle offshore in the afternoon. Perfect for a quiet, clean session.

Then we hit a real highlight. Friday the 31st. The morning is a bit tricky with a northerly onshore wind, but the afternoon is a gem. The swell is back up to 8 ft from the SW at a very long 16 seconds, with strong energy (3846), and the wind is a light offshore from the S. This is another standout for the period: big, powerful, and clean for those who are experienced.

The first weekend of August (1st and 2nd) is a steady run of clean, fun surf. Swell sits between 5 ft and 7 ft, with light to gentle offshore or cross-off winds. Great for a wide range of abilities.

Monday the 3rd delivers another big one for the experts. Morning session shows 8 ft from the SW at 14 seconds, with a light offshore from the S. The energy is strong (2543). It’s a power session, clean and punchy.

The following week (4th through 7th) is a mixed bag. There’s plenty of swell, with the 4th and 5th showing 8 ft to 10 ft, but the wind is often strong and cross-off, or onshore, making it a test of endurance. The 6th has a 10 ft WSW swell, but the wind is cross-shore, so it’s a bit bumpy. The 7th is a write-off with onshore winds.

Finally, Saturday the 8th of August closes the window with a bang. The swell is back to 10 ft from the SW, with a 13-second period, and the energy is massive at 4615. The wind is a gentle to moderate offshore from the SSE. This is a proper, clean, powerful session for the experts. A fantastic way to end the forecast.

The Standouts: Your best bets are the glassy morning of Friday the 24th for raw, big-wave power, and the afternoon of Friday the 31st for another dose of clean, long-period groundswell. The morning of Monday the 3rd of August and Saturday the 8th of August are also absolutely firing for the experienced crew.

Crowds are likely at Long Beach, especially on those clean days, so get there early.

Rusty.

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