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 over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, with a long quiet spell before things get properly interesting.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a solid, but messy, start. Tuesday afternoon the 15th brings a 5ft SW groundswell (period 16 seconds) with a strong NNW breeze of 28 mph blowing onshore. That’s a no-go – poor conditions and weak energy (2018) don’t make for a good time. The water temp is sitting at 58°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year.

We then hit a long, frustrating stretch. From Wednesday the 16th all the way through to Sunday the 21st, it’s a write-off. We’ve got solid swell in there – 10ft on Wednesday morning, 7ft on Thursday – but that wind is just relentless. Strong cross-off breezes, some near gale force, are trashing the surface. The energy is there (4164 on Wednesday morning, 2191 on Sunday), but the quality just isn’t. It’s a week of marginal to poor surf, so don't bother paddling out.

Finally, things start to turn on Monday the 21st. We get a real treat. The morning brings lighter ESE winds at 9 mph, a clean 4ft WSW swell (12 seconds), and calm conditions. The energy is moderate (720), but it’s clean, with light winds and expect good surf conditions. It’s not huge, but after a week of junk, this is the window to get a few nice ones. Crowds can be an issue here as it’s often busy, so get in early.

The next real standout is on Thursday the 24th. This one is for experienced surfers only. A big 15ft SSW groundswell (14 seconds) rolls in with light offshore winds from the SSE at 16 mph. The energy is very strong (7639), and it’s clean. This is big, powerful, and will be a serious session for those who know what they’re doing. The following morning, Friday the 25th, is also excellent for experienced surfers, with a still solid 8ft SW swell (13 seconds) and lighter SE winds at 9 mph.

Then we get another late burst. Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th both see massive 13-15ft SW groundswells with very long periods (15 seconds). The energy is through the roof (8153 on Saturday). Saturday has a light cross-shore, but Sunday the 27th cleans right up with light SSW offshore winds in the afternoon – excellent conditions for experienced surfers again. This is the real prize at the end of the run.

After that, it drops back down. Monday the 28th and Tuesday the 29th offer cleaner, smaller options (6ft down to 5ft) with lighter winds, but nothing that will blow you away.

So, to sum it up: The first week is a dud. Your best bets are Monday morning the 21st for a fun, clean, smaller session, and then the big boys’ window from Thursday the 24th through Sunday the 27th for serious, powerful waves. If you can only pick one day, Sunday the 27th afternoon looks like the absolute pick of the run – big, clean, and lined up.

Rusty.

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