North Torrey Pines Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for our local stretch.

Straight up, I'm going to be honest with you: the next 16 days are looking grim. We've got a long stretch of poor surf conditions ahead. The first real chance of anything surfable doesn't show up until Friday the 4th of September, and even then it's a marginal call. From now until then, it's flat and messy.

The first real glimmer of hope is early on Friday the 4th of September. The swell is pushing 3 ft from the SSW with a period of 17 seconds. That's a long-period groundswell, which means it has some punch, but at a beach break like this, it could be a bit too straight. The wind is a cross-onshore at 9 mph, making for a choppy surface. The wave energy is moderate, coming in at 623. It's not going to be great, but it's the first thing we've got.

Honestly, Saturday the 5th of September looks like the best of a mediocre bunch, and it's not saying much. The morning has a 4 ft swell from the south, with a period of 14 seconds. The wind is light, only 3 mph from the west and offshore. That's a big positive – it'll be clean. The wave energy is strong at 1310. The water temperature is a very unusual 76°, which is a massive 8° warmer than normal for this time of year. It's like surfing in a bath. The afternoon goes a bit more onshore and the swell pushes to 5 ft, so get on it early. This is the standout window, but don't expect perfection.

Sunday the 6th of September sees a jump in size to 7 ft, but the wind shifts to a cross-shore and then cross-onshore, making it choppy again. The combined energy is strong (1630 in the morning), but it's going to be a messy, lumpy 7 ft. If you're a beginner, this is too big and messy.

After that, it's a slow decline. The rest of the first week and into the second week is a mix of small, weak swells and onshore winds. The wave energy drops back to moderate and even weak levels. The surf is either poor or marginal. The best conditions are when the wind is offshore, but the swell is tiny.

The second week is a write-off. From the 9th of September onwards, we're looking at small waves and mostly poor conditions. There's a little spike on the 17th of September with a 3 ft swell and a very long period of 21 seconds, but it's still marginal and the energy is only moderate (786).

Bottom line: If you're desperate, get out on the morning of Saturday the 5th of September. Otherwise, it's a long blank run. This kind of quiet spell is pretty normal for the area, so don't sweat it too much. Forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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