Long Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s cut to the chase. We’ve got a long 16-day window ahead, but it’s a tough one to love. The first solid surf recommendation doesn’t pop up until the very end of the first week, and even then, it’s a battle with the wind. Let’s walk through it.

The overall pattern is dominated by persistent easterly and east-northeasterly winds, blowing cross-on for almost the entire stretch. For the first four days, from Friday 7th August through Monday 10th August, we’ve got small, short-period swell in the 3 ft to 5 ft range, but the wind is a constant 16 mph cross-on, chopping everything up. The wave energy is weak, sitting around 124 to 207 (combined energy), and the conditions are just poor. You’re better off leaving the board in the car.

Tuesday 11th August through Thursday 13th August sees a bit more size, building from 4 ft to 8 ft, but the wind freshens to 19-22 mph. The combined energy climbs from 115 into the moderate range (412-648), but with that wind and a cross-on direction, it’s lumpy and messy. Still not worth paddling out for a proper session.

Now, Thursday 14th August is where things get interesting, but not for the right reasons. We’ve got a solid 10 ft swell from the east, with a period of 10 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 2097 – that’s strong. But the wind is a nasty 28 mph cross-on from the east-southeast, making it a total mess. This is more of a kite-surfing show than a paddle-surfing dream. The next few days, Friday 15th through Sunday 17th August, keep that size in the 7 ft to 8 ft range, but the wind stays strong and cross-on. The only slight reprieve is Sunday 16th afternoon when the wind backs off to a cross-shore 16 mph, but it’s still a cross-chop.

The best chance for a decent wave comes on Monday 17th August morning. The swell is still a solid 7 ft from the east, with a 10-second period, and the combined energy is a strong 818. But the real standout is the wind: it’s finally offshore, blowing from the east-southeast at 16 mph. That’s clean, glassy conditions for the first time in the forecast. For Long Beach, this is the one to circle. The swell direction from the east is a good match for the spot’s optimum from the southeast, and while the period is moderate, it’s enough to give some shape. Water temperature is 83°, which is about average for the time of year. Just a heads up: this spot is inconsistent, and crowds are possible, so get there early if you want a piece.

After that, the outlook fades. Tuesday 18th through Wednesday 19th August have the swell hanging around 5 ft to 7 ft, but the wind swings back to a fresh cross-on, ruining the quality. The energy drops from 556 down to 274 (moderate). By Thursday 20th August through Saturday 22nd August, the swell fades to 4 ft to 6 ft, with short periods of 6-7 seconds, and the wind stays cross-on at 19-22 mph. The combined energy is weak to moderate (164-295). It’s a real grind.

So, the clear winner in this window is Monday 17th August morning at Long Beach. That offshore wind and solid east swell should give you a few clean ones. The rest of the fortnight is a write-off thanks to the wind. Keep your eyes on the charts, because this kind of stretch can’t last forever.

Rusty.

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