Long Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let's talk about the stretch ahead. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, so we gotta be patient and pick our moments.

The good news is there’s swell on the horizon, but the winds are gonna be the deciding factor on whether we get waves or washing machine conditions. We’re looking at a run that starts slow, builds into the middle of next week, and then gives us a couple of windows that look seriously promising.

Let’s break it down. First up, this Tuesday the 11th, the surf is there at Long Beach (a sheltered sandbar spot), with a chest to head-high swell around 6ft, but that East-Southeast wind is cranking at 19-25 mph. It’s cross-off but strong, so it's going to be blown out and messy. The energy is moderate, coming in at 1443. Not the day. You'd be fighting it more than riding it.

Wednesday the 12th looks a bit better. The swell picks up slightly to about 6-7ft, but the wind drops right off to a light breeze. The morning is cross, which will put some ripples on it, but Wednesday afternoon is where it’s at. A light Southeast cross-off is forecast to keep things clean, and the long-period groundswell from the Southwest is pumping in with a period of 17 seconds. It’s got strong energy at 2655. This is the first real standout. Long Beach will be working.

Thursday the 13th is a step back. Swell is up to 8ft in the morning, but the wind swings North-Northeast and is cross-on, making it a choppy mess. The period is still good at 17 seconds, but the conditions will be rough. The afternoon is a bit better with lighter wind, but it’s still cross-on, so you’ll be dodging ripples. The energy is strong, 3973, but it's not going to be pretty.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Friday the 14th, the energy drops back a bit to 1584, but the afternoon is forecast to be glassy. Swell is a solid 6ft with a 14-second period from the WSW. That’s clean, glassy, and absolutely perfect for Long Beach (sheltered). This is the other real standout, a genuine window of opportunity.

The weekend is a bit of a letdown. Saturday the 15th is average, with lighter winds but not the magic glass. Sunday the 16th though, look out. The morning is glassy with clean 6ft swell from the West-Southwest. Then the afternoon, the wind turns South-Southeast and blows offshore, cleaning up the 7ft waves even more. It’s moderate energy at 1621, but those clean conditions will make it feel like more. Another top pick.

After that, Monday the 17th sees the wind pick up from the North, putting a damper on things. The swell is a solid 8ft, but it’s onshore and choppy. Monday is a write-off.

We’ve got a bit of a lull coming up from the 19th to the 21st. Swell drops, and the winds are all over the place. Don't get too excited about that period.

But then the forecast gets interesting for the end of next week. Around Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd, we see a big pulse of long-period, strong energy. The swell jumps to around 10ft on the 23rd, and the wind is a cross-off from the Southeast at 12-16 mph. That’s a big, powerful swell. At 10ft, this is squarely in expert territory, and with a period of 15 seconds, it’s going to be a proper groundswell. The energy is strong, registering at 3406. This is one for the experienced crew, no doubt. It’s promising, but it’s also a week away, so we’ll keep an eye on it.

For the rest of the window into the 26th, we see conditions settling down and the swell backing off. Some cleaner, fun-sized waves might appear, but nothing else is jumping out as a must-surf session.

So, to sum it up: Wednesday afternoon, Friday afternoon, and Sunday are your standouts. The big swell around the 23rd is for experts only.

Alright, that’s the picture from here. Stay stoked, and I’ll see you in the water.

- Rusty

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