Ocean Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's get into it. We've got a bit of a mixed bag coming up at Ocean Beach, so let's sort through it.

The early part of the week looks clean but pretty small, with a bit of a lull before things really start to kick off later on. The water is sitting at 53.8°, which is a bit colder than what we'd usually expect for this time of year, so you might want an extra layer.

Tuesday, August 25th, starts us off with clean conditions. We've got a 3.3ft SSW groundswell rolling in with a 12-second period. The wind is light and offshore from the WNW in the morning, giving us glassy lines. The combined wave energy is weak (350), so it's small but fun for a beginner-friendly wave. The afternoon stays clean with a cross-offshore breeze, waves dropping to 2.9ft.

Wednesday, August 26th, the swell drops a touch to 2.9ft, but the period stretches out to 18 seconds. This is a long-period groundswell, which means better-shaped, more powerful waves, but at this size, it'll still be pretty gentle. Energy is moderate (577). The wind stays light and cross-offshore, so expect clean, lined-up sets all day. A good one for a longboard.

Thursday, August 27th, is where things get interesting, but not necessarily in a good way. The swell jumps up to 4.9ft in the morning and 5.6ft in the afternoon, with a solid 17-second period. The energy ramps up to strong (1479 in the morning, 1907 in the afternoon). However, the wind turns cross-onshore, making it choppy and bumpy. It's going to be a messy, challenging session for most.

Friday, August 28th, is a write-off. Strong cross-shore winds hit 15-18 mph, creating a lumpy cross-chop. The swell is 3.9-4.6ft, but the conditions are just poor. Give it a miss.

Saturday, August 29th, offers a short window. The morning is the standout for the early part of the forecast. We get glassy conditions with a slight air from the SSE, and a 2.6ft S swell at 11 seconds. The wave energy is weak (269), but for a clean, tiny wave, you can't ask for much more. It'll be a fun dawny. The afternoon turns onshore and choppy again.

Sunday, August 30th, is a no-go. The swell is tiny (1.6-2.6ft) and the wind is howling offshore at 22 mph, creating a fresh, clean look but with no real wave to ride. That's a kite-surfing breeze, not a paddling one.

Monday, August 31st, is where it starts to get serious. The morning sees a 3.9ft SSW swell with a 16-second period, clean with a light cross-offshore breeze. The energy is strong (1005). By the afternoon, we have a standout. The swell pushes to 8.2ft from the S at 15 seconds, with a moderate offshore wind from the W. The energy is very strong (2889). This is excellent, powerful surf for experienced surfers. This is the pick of the first week, but only if you've got the skills.

Tuesday, September 1st, keeps the energy going. The morning is clean with a 7.2ft S swell at 16 seconds (energy 2410), again excellent for experienced surfers. The afternoon bumps up to 9.8ft, but the wind goes cross-onshore, making it a bit tricky and messy despite the size.

From Wednesday, September 2nd, through to Thursday, September 3rd, the swell drops back to the 2.9ft-6.2ft range. The winds are mostly cross-offshore and clean, but the conditions are called marginal. The energy is moderate to strong (310-1386), so there are waves, but the quality isn't quite there for a recommendation.

Friday, September 4th, is another serious day. The morning is a true standout for the second week. We're looking at a 8.2ft SSW swell at 14 seconds, with a light offshore breeze from the NW. The energy is very strong (2437), and it's clean. This is another one for the experienced crew only.

Saturday, September 5th, the swell stays in the 5.6-6.6ft range, but a fresh cross-offshore breeze (18 mph) keeps the surface a bit bumpy and the conditions marginal. The energy is still solid (939-1362).

Sunday, September 6th, offers a reprieve. The swell drops to 3.6-3.9ft

Read more