Long Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a messy start. Wednesday is a write-off with onshore winds and poor surf conditions, so don’t even bother. Things start to get interesting from Thursday morning, the 6th of August. We’ve got a solid 12 ft swell coming from the WSW, with a moderate offshore wind from the SSE cleaning it right up. The period is 13 seconds, so it’s got some proper groundswell energy behind it, with combined energy hitting 4045 (moderate wave energy). This is excellent surf for experienced surfers – the size is over 8 ft, so it’s expert territory and not for beginners. The water is sitting at 58°, which is roughly a degree and a half colder than normal for this time of year, so it’s a bit nippy.

Friday afternoon, the 7th of August, is looking like a real standout. The swell is still a solid 12 ft from the SW, but the wind turns light and cross-offshore from the SW, giving us clean conditions. The combined energy jumps to 5363, and the period is a long 14 seconds. This is the kind of day that gets the heart pumping – big, powerful, long-period SW groundswell with clean conditions. The direction is a perfect match for the optimum SW swell direction here. This is your best bet for the whole run.

Saturday, the 8th of August, is another beauty. The morning is glassy, zero wind, with a 10 ft SW swell. The combined energy is 2639, so it’s not as punchy as Friday, but it’s clean and inviting. Then Saturday afternoon, the wind swings offshore from the SSW, and the swell jumps up to 13 ft with a 14-second period, and the combined energy goes through the roof at 6516 (strong wave energy). This is a serious session, again only for the brave.

Sunday, the 9th, we get a near gale from the SSE that ruins the party – poor surf conditions, despite the swell still being 12 ft. That wind is just too strong. Monday and Tuesday, the 10th and 11th, the swell drops to 8 ft to 10 ft, but it’s from the SE with a short, weak 8-second period. The wind is still howling, so it’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session.

We then hit a gap of a few days with marginal conditions. The 12th and 13th of August see a drop in size and a shift to a long-period 18-second swell from the SW, but it’s onshore and not clean enough to get excited about. The combined energy sits around 2000.

The second week offers a smaller, more user-friendly window. From Friday the 14th to Sunday the 16th of August, we’ve got a 5 ft to 7 ft WSW swell with a 13-second period. The winds are light and offshore or glassy, giving clean waves. The combined energy is in the 700-1000 range (weak to moderate), but it’s good, clean fun. The 16th of August, Sunday morning, is glassy with a 6 ft swell – a perfect beginner session if the crowds (which are often here) don’t put you off.

After that, the 17th and 18th of August turn ugly again with strong onshore winds and a 10 ft bump that’s just messy. The 19th and 20th show some improvement with moderate offshore winds, but the swell is inconsistent and smaller – 4 ft to 6 ft.

So, the standout is undeniably Friday afternoon, the 7th of August, with that big, clean, long-period SW groundswell. Saturday afternoon the 8th is a close second for the raw power, but it’s a touch more serious. For the smaller stuff, the 16th of August morning is your glassy window.

Rusty out.

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