Ocean Beach Jetty Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the forecast for Ocean Beach Jetty. I gotta be straight with you – this stretch of the next 16 days is looking like a real tough one. We’re staring down the barrel of a long, dry spell with hardly anything to get excited about.

The overall pattern is dominated by small, weak swells and winds that are mostly onshore or cross-onshore. It’s going to be a grind. The first real hint of something rideable doesn’t show up until Sunday, August 9th, and even then it’s marginal. From now until then, we’re looking at a solid 6-day gap with practically nothing on offer. The waves are small, the energy is low, and the wind is just not playing ball.

The first moment that might be worth a look is the Sunday morning, August 9th. The swell is a tiny 3 ft from the SW, with a period of 15 seconds. That long period is a sign of some groundswell energy, but with these small heights, it’s going to be fat and soft. The wind is a cross-shore breeze at 9 mph, so it’s not clean, but it’s not a total mess either. The combined energy is sitting at 335 (moderate), but honestly, the rating says it’s marginal. It’s the best we’ve got, but it’s not something to go out of your way for. The break is exposed to the west, and the optimum swell direction is from the west, so the direction is lining up, but the size just isn’t there.

After that, the pattern doesn’t improve much. The following week continues with tiny swells, mostly 2 ft to 3 ft, and the wind remains a problem. The later period, around Saturday, August 15th and Sunday, August 16th, shows a slight bump in size to 3 ft and 3 ft, with the combined energy climbing into the 400s (moderate to strong). But the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, so the quality will be poor. The best of those days is the Saturday afternoon, August 15th, with a 3 ft SW swell and 16-second period, but the wind is 9 mph from the WNW, directly onshore, making it a choppy, blown-out mess.

The bottom line is this: if you’re desperate for a paddle, maybe the morning of August 9th gives you a couple of soft ones, but don’t expect anything special. The rest of the window is a write-off. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. This is a classic case of a long, flat spell for Ocean Beach Jetty. It’s a beach and jetty setup, and with this kind of onshore wind and small swell, it’s more interesting for the kite surfers than for us paddle surfers.

Stay patient, keep an eye on the charts, and hopefully the next forecast brings better news.

Rusty.

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