Surf Forecasts:
Moonlight Beach surf forecast from 24 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 29 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 17s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 17s period, SSW swell with 932 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Moonlight Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Moonlight Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Moonlight Beach in the next 16 days are 1.3m 17s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Moonlight Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, talkin’ about Moonlight Beach.
It starts slow, real slow. Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th have almost nothing – tiny 0.6 to 0.7m swell and cross-onshore winds making for ugly, weak surf. Not worth wetting a suit.
Wednesday the 26th sees a bump to 1.4m from the south with a 12-second period. Combined energy is moderate to strong (915), but the wind stays cross-onshore or cross-shore, so there’s chop. Marginal at best.
Through the rest of August and into the first days of September, swell stays small, between 0.8 and 1.3m, mostly from the south or south-southwest. Winds are almost always onshore or cross-onshore. A light breeze on some days keeps it from being total junk, but it’s not clean.
The real standout arrives Thursday, September 3rd. Thursday afternoon brings a 0.8 to 1.2m swell from the south-southwest with a super long period of 19 seconds – that’s proper groundswell, with real energy (822). The waves might be a little fat and straight at a beach break like this, but the shape on the sets will be there. Friday the 4th morning is even better energy-wise (889) with 1.1m SSW swell at 17 seconds. The problem: both days have onshore winds. Still, this is the best quality of the whole 16-day window.
Tuesday the 8th of September sees a jump to 2.5m from the SSW, but with only an 8-second period and onshore wind. That’s a lot of messy, bumpy, short-period power (1232) – really only for experts, and probably more fun for kite surfers.
Water temp is about normal for this time of year. Moonlight Beach breaks inconsistently, and this forecast reflects that – no perfect glassy days, but some real groundswell energy in the first week of September.
Your best bet is the 3rd and 4th of September, if you can handle a bit of breeze.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Tue morning, min 23°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Fri morning, min 23°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 19 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 273 | 249 | 175 | 330 | 264 | 208 | 437 | 566 | 526 | 416 | 300 | 247 | 270 | 343 | 419 | 932 | 566 | 733 | 697 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 8:58AM1.55m | 7:35PM2.10m | 9:16AM1.61m | 8:10PM2.17m | 9:35AM1.68m | 8:44PM2.20m | 9:55AM1.75m | 9:18PM2.17m | 10:16AM1.83m | 9:53PM2.09m | 10:39AM1.90m | 10:30PM1.96m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:18AM0.34m | 1:31PM1.14m | 2:46AM0.27m | 2:06PM1.04m | 3:11AM0.24m | 2:40PM0.94m | 3:36AM0.25m | 3:15PM0.84m | 4:00AM0.29m | 3:51PM0.76m | 4:23AM0.38m | 4:30PM0.69m | 4:46AM0.50m | ||||||
 |  | |  | | | | | | | |  | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — |
 | — | — | 7:23 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:21 | — | — | 7:19 | — | — | 7:17 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 24 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 29 | 28 | 25 | 29 | 28 | 25 |
Feels °C | 27 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 30 | 27 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 27 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 |
| kJ | 273 | 249 | 175 | 330 | 264 | 173 | 437 | 566 | 526 | 416 | 300 | 247 | 194 | 133 | 101 | 932 | 566 | 733 | 697 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | W 6 | SSW 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WNW 7 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 19 | S 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 9 |
| kJ | 199 | 18 | 93 | 126 | 128 | 208 | 203 | 47 | 196 | 171 | 132 | 130 | 270 | 343 | 419 | 71 | 101 | 77 | 190 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | SSW 12 | W 6 | W 5 | W 6 | SSE 12 | W 6 | SW 16 | W 7 | W 6 | W 7 | W 8 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WNW 8 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 8 |
| kJ | 18 | 87 | 16 | 8 | 16 | 111 | 16 | 302 | 32 | 22 | 34 | 34 | 111 | 61 | 88 | 21 | 61 | 57 | 22 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 113 | 245 | 1 | 46 | 46 | 1 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 94 | 1 | 46 | 47 | 1 | 47 | 47 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Diego County | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Moonlight Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Moonlight Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Moonlight Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Moonlight Beach 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 (Moonlight Beach) 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 Moonlight Beach 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.
Moonlight Beach is 6 km (4 miles) from the city of Encinitas. If you plan a vacation in San Diego County, look for hotels and other accommodation in Encinitas. Encinitas has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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