North Torrey Pines Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for North Torrey Pines over the next 16 days.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you—the first week is a grind. We’re looking at a long stretch of nothing special. From now through the 17th of July, it’s mostly poor surf with onshore winds and a lot of cross-onshore chop. The swell is tiny, mostly around 2 ft to 3 ft, and it’s coming from the SSW or SW. The wind is mostly a gentle breeze from the W or WNW, which is offshore, but the wave quality just isn’t there. The combined energy is moderate (383 down to 151), but the conditions are messy. You’re better off waiting.

There’s a glimmer of hope starting Saturday the 18th. The swell starts to bump up, and the energy really kicks in. Saturday morning sees 4 ft from the S with a period of 12 seconds and a strong combined energy of 1027. The wind is offshore from the WNW, so it’s clean. By the afternoon, the swell pushes to 5 ft from the S with a period of 13 seconds and energy hits 1273. The wind turns cross-onshore, so it gets a bit chopped, but the size is there. The water temp is a very unusual 72°F—that’s 5° warmer than normal for this time of year, so the water is warm but the surf is only marginal.

Sunday the 19th is a bit cleaner with offshore winds again, but the swell drops back to 3 ft to 3 ft from the SW with a long period of 17 seconds. The energy is still strong (722 to 761), and the long period will make the waves a bit more lined up, but it’s a bit small. Monday the 20th is a write-off.

Now, the real standout is Wednesday the 22nd of July into Thursday the 23rd. On Wednesday afternoon, we get a solid 5 ft from the S with a period of 14 seconds and a massive combined energy of 1352. The wind is a light breeze from the SW, but it’s cross-onshore, so it’s a little soft. Still, the size is there. Thursday morning the 23rd is the pick of the whole run: 6 ft from the S with a period of 13 seconds, energy of 1096, and offshore winds from the W at 10 km/h. That’s glassy, clean, and punchy. It’s a bit big for beginners at 6 ft, but intermediate to advanced surfers will have a ball. The break is “fairly consistent” and “exposed” to the swell, with the optimum direction being W. Since the swell is coming from the S, it’s not a perfect match, but the offshore wind and size make it a proper session. Crowds are “sometimes” a problem, so you might have some company, but it’s worth it.

The weekend of the 25th and 26th is a step down. The swell backs off to 5 ft-2 ft, and the wind gets cross-onshore again. Not a total loss, but not the highlight.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a bust. The best surf on offer is Thursday the 23rd of July, with 6 ft S swell, offshore wind, and clean conditions. The water is much warmer than normal. Don’t waste your time before that.

Rusty.

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