Surf Forecasts:
Mavericks surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 18s period, SSW swell with 541 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Mavericks this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Mavericks in the next 16 days are 0.9m 18s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 14s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Mavericks over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, listen up, it's Rusty. I've been poring over the charts for Mavericks, and I gotta be honest, the next couple weeks are looking like a whole lot of zip for a wave that needs everything to line up perfectly. This is a big-wave reef, and we just don't have the juice.
Right off the bat, from Tuesday the 25th of August all the way through to the first week of September, it's a total washout. We're talking days of tiny, weak swell – around 1 ft to 2 ft – with a mean cross-onshore wind from the NW messing up any chance of a clean face. The swell energy is just pathetic, barely registering in the low hundreds. Even when we get a brief window of light offshore wind on the morning of Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th, the swell is still puny and inconsistent. The water's a warm 63°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, but that's about the only highlight.
Then we hit a dry spell. From Monday the 31st of August right through to Wednesday the 9th of September, the forecast is bleak. It’s just day after day of small, weak swell and poor conditions. There's a tiny blip on Thursday the 3rd of September with a 19-second period groundswell trying to push in from the SW, but it's only 2 ft with a light cross-shore wind – more of a tease than anything.
The only time things start to get interesting is around Friday the 4th of September. We finally see a pulse of WNW swell building to 4 ft on the morning and 5 ft by the afternoon, with the swell energy jumping up to a solid 1052. It's still small for Mavericks, but it's the biggest we've seen. The wind is a light cross-shore from the SSW, which is the cleanest wind we've had in weeks. The period is a short 9 to 10 seconds, so it'll be a bit wonky and fat on the face. It's a marginal offering at best, and for a spot this heavy, it's really only worth a look for the most patient locals.
By Monday the 7th of September, the swell kicks up a notch to 6 ft from the WNW with an 11-second period. That's more like it, but the wind is a dodgy cross-onshore from the SSW, which is going to put a nasty chop on it. The energy is there, but the wind will kill it. Tuesday the 8th is a similar story with light cross-shore winds and 4 ft swell.
So, to sum it up for you: this whole 16-day window is a bust for Mavericks. There's no standout session. It's a classic case of a spot that needs a serious, long-period, clean swell to fire, and we're just not getting it. The swell is too small, the wind is nearly always wrong, and it's going to be a long, frustrating wait. Don't hold your breath.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed morning, min 13°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | SW 17 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
94 | 90 | 203 | 88 | 163 | 96 | 158 | 256 | 143 | 299 | 319 | 534 | 326 | 447 | 358 | 270 | 263 | 211 | 180 | 118 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 9:20PM1.75m | 11:10AM1.41m | 10:02PM1.76m | 11:33AM1.46m | 10:43PM1.73m | 11:56AM1.52m | 11:25PM1.68m | 12:20PM1.58m | 00:09AM1.59m | 12:47PM1.65m | 00:59AM1.47m | 1:17PM1.70m | 1:56AM1.34m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:42PM0.87m | 4:24AM-0.01m | 4:19PM0.79m | 4:54AM-0.01m | 4:54PM0.69m | 5:23AM0.03m | 5:31PM0.59m | 5:52AM0.11m | 6:10PM0.47m | 6:22AM0.23m | 6:53PM0.37m | 6:55AM0.37m | 7:41PM0.27m | |||||||
— | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | |
7:49 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:42 | — | — | 7:39 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 |
Feels °C | 13 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | SW 16 | WNW 7 | SW 15 | SW 14 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | SW 19 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | SW 16 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 |
94 | 25 | 26 | 88 | 163 | 75 | 103 | 256 | 115 | 299 | 232 | 147 | 326 | 220 | 231 | 220 | 214 | 211 | 180 | 118 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 14 | SW 15 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SW 14 | SW 17 | SW 13 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | S 9 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | S 9 | SW 21 | S 16 | SW 19 | W 10 |
68 | 90 | 203 | 93 | 77 | 45 | 40 | 130 | 143 | 28 | 319 | 534 | 6 | 447 | 358 | 2 | 18 | 75 | 14 | 7 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 16 | SSW 13 | WSW 13 | WNW 7 | S 12 | W 11 | W 11 | SSW 12 | W 10 | W 10 | S 9 | S 9 | — | S 8 | S 9 | — | S 9 | SW 20 | SW 19 | WSW 19 |
20 | 55 | 58 | 10 | 76 | 21 | 39 | 46 | 33 | 18 | 15 | 6 | — | 1 | 2 | — | 2 | 15 | 14 | 37 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 7 | — | — | WNW 6 | — | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | — | — | WNW 7 | — | — | WNW 7 | — | — | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 |
36 | — | — | 41 | — | 96 | 158 | — | — | 108 | — | — | 153 | — | — | 270 | 263 | 129 | 73 | 41 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 73 | 35 | 35 | 73 | 52 | 35 | 35 | 73 | 35 | 74 | 35 | 35 | 74 | 63 | 71 | 74 | 63 | 74 | 76 | 46 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Mateo | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Mavericks Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Mavericks provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Mavericks can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Mavericks surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Mavericks) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Mavericks may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Mavericks is 13 km (8 miles) from Pacifica. If you plan a vacation in San Mateo, look for hotels and other accommodation in Pacifica. Pacifica has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











