Lunada Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s cut the chatter and talk about what we got. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty bleak for waves, with a whole lot of nothing on the table. You’re gonna be staring at a flat, messy ocean for most of it, so don't get your hopes up. But, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

The first real chance you’ll have to get wet is the morning of Saturday, August 29th. After a solid ten-day drought, we finally see a pulse of energy. The swell at Lunada Bay is expected to be around 2ft from the SSW, with a period of 17 seconds. That’s genuine groundswell, and it’s got some power in it. The wind will be light and blowing offshore, which is the dream scenario for this spot. The water should be clean, and the reef will love that long-period energy. The combined energy is 344, which is a moderate amount of push. It won’t be a giant, but it will have proper shape. This is the day. The water temperature is 71°, which is a few degrees warmer than the usual average for this time of year—so you can skip the thick wetsuit.

The morning after, Sunday, August 30th, is also looking good. It’s a similar setup: 3ft of SSW swell, a 16-second period, and clean conditions with a light offshore wind. The energy is even slightly higher at 353, so it might have a touch more grunt to it. Not a massive day, but for what we’ve been dealing with all week, this is a gift.

As for the rest, from Monday, August 17th, through Friday, August 28th, it’s a complete wasteland. Swell heights are down around 1ft to 2ft, with weak, short-period energy that just doesn’t have any push. The combined energy reads are mostly in the low hundreds, which is weak, and the wind is either onshore, cross-onshore, or just messy. The waves that do break will be poor quality and not worth the paddle. There’s one brief moment on Thursday the 28th where it goes glassy, but the swell is still only 2ft and the note says it’s “surfable but very ordinary.” You’d be better off going for a run.

Looking into the first week of September, it’s still on the small side. The Tuesday morning of September 1st has some clean conditions with a cross-off breeze, and the swell is 2ft from the SSW at 14 seconds. It’s rideable, but it’s more of a longboard or funboard kind of day. The period is shorter, so it won’t have the same grunt as that 17-second stuff from August 29th.

So, here’s the deal: if you’ve got a free morning, make a plan for Saturday, August 29th, or Sunday, August 30th. That’s your best bet. For a reef break like Lunada Bay, a long-period SW groundswell with light offshore winds is perfect. It’ll focus the swell and give you some nice, long waves. Just expect some company, since it’s the weekend.

Until then, keep the board waxed and the fins in the bag. This flat spell will break eventually.

Rusty.

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