North Torrey Pines Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, it's Rusty again, checkin' out North Torrey Pines in the old money.

Let's be real, the next couple of weeks are gonna be a bit of a grind for this spot. There's some swell energy on the horizon, but the wind and the tide are gonna be messing with it, so don't expect any crystal-clear lines. The first week has a few windows where you could scrape a ride, but you'll be earning 'em. After that, it pretty much goes flat heading into the first week of August.

We start off on Sunday, the 26th of July. There's a consistent, long-period groundswell pushin' in, about 4ft from the SW with a period of 19 seconds. That's proper energy for a beach break like North Torrey Pines (San Diego). At around 4ft, it's a fun, user-friendly size for a beginner. The water temp is 74°F, which is a solid 7°F warmer than average for this time of year – that's very unusual, you won't need a wetsuit. The only hiccup is the cross-onshore breeze, about 6 mph from the SW, which is gonna put a little ripple on the face. Combined swell energy is moderate at 961. It's a goer for a beginner wanting a warm-water session, but the quality won't be anything special.

Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th push up a little, with swell between 4ft and 4ft from the SSW. The period stays long, 17-19 seconds, and the combined energy cracks into four digits, peaking at 1233 on Monday arvo – that's a solid moderate-to-strong pulse of energy. But that cross-onshore wind stays on at 6-9 mph, so it's gonna feel lumpy and a bit choppy. Mornings will likely be your best bet before the breeze picks up. You might get a few long lulls between those sets, but for a beginner spot, that's the best you'll see all week if you can live with a bit of wind bump.

Wednesday the 29th, the swell backs off to 4-4ft, and the period drops to 16 seconds. Still a long-period groundswell, but the cross-shore wind is still there, and by the arvo it's officially a write-off. The window is getting tight.

Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st bring a bit more oomph, with the swell bumping to 5-6ft. The period drops to 13-14 seconds, so it's a bit more of a local windswell feel. The combined energy is strong, still around the 1100-1200 mark. The wind on Thursday is still cross-onshore, but Friday starts to see a shift to a light onshore flow, 6 mph from the W and WNW. It's a step in the right direction, but still not clean. At 6ft, this is pushing into territory that's too much for a raw beginner, and the straight onshore wind at a beach break will make for bumpy, soft waves. More of a closeout day for the experienced.

From Saturday the 1st of August, things really fall apart. The swell drops back to 4ft and then tanks into the 2-2ft range for the whole next week. The combined energy plummets, going from moderate to weak, well under 300 by Monday the 3rd. The wind flips around, sometimes onshore, sometimes a light cross-breeze, but with so little swell, it's game over.

There's a tiny flicker of hope a week and a half out, around Friday the 7th and Saturday the 8th of August. Swell bumps up to 3-3ft from the SSW with the period stretching back out to 18-19 seconds. The combined energy climbs back to a weak 414-554. At 3ft, it's tiny, but that very long period (over 15 seconds) means long waits between sets, and it'll break straight at a beach break. Not worth cancelling plans over, but a promising sign the ocean ain't dead.

Overall, the best bet in this whole 16-day run is the Monday and Tuesday of this week, the 27th and 28th of July. The swell is at its most consistent, the energy is highest, and while the wind isn't perfect, it's the best on offer. This spot is consistent, but the conditions here are often marginal, so don't expect a world-class day. For a beginner, the smaller morning sessions early in the week are your call.

Rusty.

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