Long Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s in store for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, mate, it’s a rough outlook for Long Beach. The whole 16-day stretch is a bust for clean, quality waves. Nearly every day is hammered by a moderate to fresh cross-onshore wind, and while there’s always some swell running, it’s never clean or well-shaped. There are no standout sessions to get excited about.

The water temperature is around 84°F, which is about average for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick wetsuit.

Let’s break it down. Starting Sunday, August 2, the swell is 5ft out of the east with a short, weak period of 7 seconds. The combined energy is moderate at 283, but the wind is cross-onshore at 15 to 19 mph, making it choppy and lumpy. No good. Monday and Tuesday are more of the same – 4ft to 5ft east swell, poor period, and onshore winds. Wednesday through Friday, the energy stays moderate, but the wind stays fresh and cross-onshore, keeping the surf messy. The second week, from around August 10 onward, doesn’t get any better. Swell sizes fluctuate between 3ft and 7ft, but the wind never lets up, and the period stays short, between 6 and 8 seconds. By August 13, the swell picks up to 7ft, and the combined energy climbs into the strong range (over 500), but with a strong cross-onshore breeze and messy conditions, it’s really only going to interest the kite crowd, not paddle surfers. That pattern holds through to the end of the forecast on August 17.

To be straight with you, there’s no single day or session I’d call a winner. The break is inconsistent at the best of times, and this forecast shows a consistent run of poor quality. The optimum swell direction for Long Beach is southeast, but the swell is coming from the east and east-northeast, which isn’t ideal, and the wind is never offshore. A blank run like this is more normal for the area, but forecasts can change, so don’t give up just yet.

Rusty.

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