Ocean Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about what we’ve got brewing at Ocean Beach. It’s a beach-and-reef setup that handles a fair bit of swell, and it’s consistent. The water temp is sitting at 54°F, which is a bit colder than usual for this time of year.

We’ve got a slow start, but things kick off on Monday, August 31. The morning brings a clean 3 ft SSW groundswell with a long 17-second period, but the wind is blowing offshore at 19 mph. That long period means it’ll be clean but tough to get out there—sometimes those lines just race through a beach break. The combined energy is moderate (549). It’s a marginal session.

Monday afternoon the swell picks up to 6 ft SSW with a 13-second period, offshore wind at 25 mph. Clean but hard work.

Tuesday, September 1 is a standout. Morning has a pumping 12 ft SSW swell, 12-second period, cross-off wind at 9 mph, and energy that’s off the charts at 5582. That’s big—over 8 ft—so only for the experienced crew. Afternoon eases to 10 ft from the S with a 13-second period, still clean. If you’re solid in heavy water, Tuesday morning is your target.

Wednesday, September 2 is another highlight. Morning has 7 ft S swell, 13-second period, light WNW cross-off breeze at 6 mph. Excellent conditions with strong energy at 2543. This is for experienced surfers. Afternoon goes to 8 ft S with a very long 17-second period, energy at 3646. It’s powerful and clean, but that long period can make the sets irregular—best on the higher tide.

Thursday, September 3 eases to 5 ft S, 13-second period, clean in the morning. Good surf but not the standout.

The rest of that week and into the next sees a lot of small, onshore, or blown-out days. We get a couple of glassy mornings on Thursday, September 10 (4 ft ESE) and Saturday, September 12 (4 ft ESE, glassy). Those are rare and clean, but the waves are small.

The next real shot comes on Tuesday, September 15. The morning has 8 ft S swell with a long 16-second period, 6 mph offshore wind, and energy at 2970. That’s excellent, powerful, and clean—another one for the experienced. The afternoon turns cross-on, so hit it early.

So the two true standouts: Tuesday morning, September 1 for pure size and power, and Wednesday morning, September 2 for the best combo of size and quality. September 15 is a promising long-range call, but don’t book your flight yet.

If you’re a beginner, steer clear of the big days—anything over 5 ft is going to be a handful, and the 8 ft plus days are expert only.

Rusty.

Read more