North Torrey Pines Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it: the next 16 days are a tough stretch for North Torrey Pines. There’s no standout session that’ll have you paddling out with a grin from ear to ear. Most of the time it’s either marginal or poor, with onshore or cross-onshore breezes messing with the surface.

The first little bit of hope pops up on Thursday morning, 27 August. Swell from the south at 4 ft, but it’s a bit short-period at 12 seconds and the wind is cross-on from the southwest at 6 mph. That light breeze keeps it choppy, and the combined swell energy is moderate at 545. The water is a very unusual 74°, which is 6° above the long-term average. That’s odd, but it doesn’t help the surf. This spot is exposed to swell, but the wind direction is all wrong for clean faces. The optimum swell direction here is west; we’re getting south and southwest. Beginners might find something tiny to practice on, but it’s nothing to write home about.

Friday morning, 28 August, sees the swell drop to 2 ft from the southwest, but it’s got a nice long period of 16 seconds – that’s groundswell. Problem is, the wind is cross-on at 9 mph, making it choppy. The wave energy is moderate at 392, but the conditions are just poor. The long period might set up a few clean lines at a point or reef, but this is a beach break, so the swell will roll straight and close out. Not worth it.

Saturday, 29 August, the swell nudges up to 4 ft from the south-southwest with a 16-second period, and the wind goes onshore from the west at 9 mph. Combined energy jumps to 790 – moderate, but the wind kills it. Sunday and Monday are much the same: onshore winds, marginal surf. The pattern just keeps repeating: every day brings onshore or cross-onshore wind, with swell between 3 ft and 4 ft. The period varies from 11 to 19 seconds, but the wind never cleans up.

Early September, from the 1st to the 4th, we see onshore winds and swell around 3 ft to 5 ft. Thursday, 3 September, has a 5 ft swell from the south-southwest with a 12-second period and onshore west wind at 9 mph. The energy is 948, but the surface will be blown out. That’s too big for beginners at over 5 ft, but the chop and onshore wind mean it’s only for diehards.

The second week, from 5 September onward, the swell fades. The 8th of September morning has a tiny 2 ft from the southwest with an 18-second period – very long-period groundswell. That’s a hint of something, but the wind is light and onshore, and the energy is 524. The waves will be weak and inconsistent. By the 10th and 11th, it’s just poor conditions with onshore wind and small swell.

Honestly, the best you can hope for is a light wind morning, like Thursday, 6 September morning, with 3 ft from the south-southwest, 15-second period, light cross-on breeze at 6 mph, and combined energy of 505. It’s still marginal, and the cross-on wind means it won’t be glassy. Crowds are sometimes a problem here, but on a day this ordinary, you might have the place to yourself.

There’s a big gap of several days where nothing comes together – from the start right through to the end. North Torrey Pines is fairly consistent for swell, but the wind just won’t cooperate. If you’re into kite surfing, the onshore winds and consistent swell might be more interesting than a paddle session. For a surf, keep an eye on any morning with light wind, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty

Read more