Long Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this Long Beach outlook is a tough one. We’ve got a full 16-day window, but honestly, there isn’t a single standout session in the lot. The wind is a persistent problem, and the surf quality just never comes together. It’s a real flat spell for the paddle.

Looking at the whole period, it’s a long stretch of clean skies but messy, choppy conditions. The swell is constantly coming from the east or east-northeast, with a short period around 7-8 seconds, so it’s mostly weak, wind-driven junk. The combined wave energy starts off low (133) and never really gets into the good stuff, though it does spike up to some moderate numbers in the middle of the month (583 on the 9th, 758 on the 16th), but even then the wind is ruining it.

The water temperature is sitting at 84°F, which is normal for this time of year, so at least the water is warm if you’re just floating around.

For the first week, from the 2nd of September right through to the 8th, you’re looking at waves from 3 ft to 5 ft, but it’s all cross-onshore wind from the east at 12-22 mph. That’s a recipe for a bumpy, choppy surface. The swell period is short, so there’s no real power. The 6th and 7th see a bit more size (4 ft-5 ft) but the wind is fresh and the water is lumpy. Not worth paddling out for.

The second week is more of the same, just bigger. From the 9th of September, the swell picks up to 7 ft-7 ft, which is getting into the “too big for beginners” territory, but it’s a short-period, wind-affected mess. The wind stays cross-on from the east, often at 19-22 mph, making it fresh and lumpy. The energy spikes up to strong levels (758 on the 16th), but it’s all for nothing with that wind. This setup, with significant swell, poor surf quality, strong wind, and a beach break, honestly looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Long Beach is an exposed beach break, and it’s incredibly inconsistent. It rarely breaks well, and this forecast proves it. There isn’t a single day where the wind, swell, and conditions line up. If you’re desperate for a surf, you might find a peak on the 16th of September morning when the swell hits 6 ft and the wind drops to just 9 mph, but it’s still cross-onshore and fairly choppy. It’s the best of a bad bunch, but it’s not good.

Bottom line: leave the board at home. The whole 16 days is a washout. It’s a blank run, but for this area, that’s not unusual. Forecasts can change, but right now, I wouldn’t get my hopes up.

Rusty.

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