Ocean Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty here. We’ve got a wild 16-day stretch ahead at Ocean Beach. The forecast is shaping up with some serious size and energy, though it’s not all clean and cruisy. The water’s sitting at 54°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be wanting a good steamer if you’re heading out.

The first real standout is Monday the 17th of August, in the afternoon. The swell is pumping at 12 ft from the SSE, with a period of 10 seconds, and the combined energy is a strong 2711. The wind is cross-offshore from the SSW at 22 mph, keeping things clean. This is a big, powerful swell, so it’s definitely for experienced surfers only. It’s got the best wind and tide combo, but be warned – the size is going to be a handful even for a beach and reef setup like Ocean Beach.

Tuesday the 18th morning is a bit more manageable for the intermediate crowd. The swell drops to 5 ft from the ESE, period 10 seconds, and energy is moderate at 1011. The wind is cross-offshore and light from the WSW at 9 mph, giving you clean conditions. It’s a good window to get a few waves without the crowd pressure, since the crowds are only sometimes heavy here.

Heading into Wednesday the 19th, we’ve got another massive pulse. The morning sees 13 ft of swell from the S at 11 seconds, with a very strong energy of 3874. The wind is cross-offshore from the SW at 16 mph, so it’s clean, but this is strictly expert territory. The afternoon stays similar at 13 ft, same direction and period, with energy at 3693 – again, clean but only for the brave.

For the rest of the week, things stay solid but messy. Thursday the 20th morning has 10 ft from the S, period 10 seconds, energy 3192, with light cross-offshore winds. The afternoon drops to 8 ft but gets a cross-shore chop. Friday the 21st morning is a nice surprise – 6 ft from the S, long period 11 seconds, energy 1282, and light offshore winds from the NW. That’s a clean, lined-up day for intermediates.

After that, the surf fades into a slow stretch. From Saturday the 22nd onward, we’re looking at small waves, mostly under 5 ft, with weak energy. There’s a gap of several days where the recommendations are poor or marginal. The best of that quiet period is Sunday the 23rd morning with 4 ft from the NNE but a short period of 5 seconds and energy of just 154 – ordinary, but surfable. The week after that is mostly tiny, with swells under 3 ft and very weak energy, often in the double digits. Nothing worth getting excited about until the end of the month, when Saturday the 29th morning shows a small pulse of 5 ft from the NE, period 7 seconds, but it’s cross-onshore and marginal.

So, the standout window is definitely Monday the 17th afternoon through Wednesday the 19th. If you’re an expert, that’s your time. For the rest of us, Tuesday the 18th morning or Friday the 21st morning are your best bets for a clean, manageable session.

Rusty.

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