Ocean Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Ocean Beach over the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a run of surf coming through, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The standout mornings are looking tidy, but the afternoons get wind-affected. The water temp is sitting at 54°, which is a bit colder than normal for the time of year, so a good steamer is your friend.

The first decent window kicks off this Friday morning, the 7th of August. There’s some clouds around, but with a light offshore breeze from the WNW at 3 mph, it’s looking clean. We’ve got a solid 5ft swell rolling in from the south with a very long period of 16 seconds. The wave energy is strong (1803), so there’s plenty of push. This is groundswell, and with that kind of period, it can jack up quickly. For a beach break setup, it might be a bit tricky as it could close out, but for experienced surfers, it’s a good spin. The swell is over 5ft, so it's not one for the beginners.

Saturday morning, the 8th, is also looking promising. Another clean morning with a cross-offshore breeze at 6 mph and a 6ft south swell. The period has dropped to 12 seconds, but there’s still decent energy (1174). This is probably the best combination of size and shape we’ll see in the first week. Conditions are forecast to be very good, and the water should feel a bit cleaner than Friday.

The middle of the week gets a bit ordinary. Sunday the 9th is blown out with strong cross-shore winds, and the waves get small and weak from Monday the 10th through to Thursday the 13th. There’s a solid gap here with nothing really worth paddling out for. The surf drops to under 3ft at times, and the wind just messes with it.

We get a bit of a pulse again on Tuesday the 11th morning with a clean 5ft south swell, but the period is only 9 seconds, so it’s a bit weaker and less organized. Worth a quick session if you’re desperate, but not a standout.

Now, for the second week, things get more interesting but also a bit more unpredictable. The real standout from the whole forecast is Sunday the 16th of August. The morning shows a strong 10ft south swell, and the afternoon is where it gets epic – a 10ft south swell with an 11-second period, a solid offshore wind at 16 mph from the west, and wave energy is pumping at 2709. This is powerful, clean, and for experienced surfers only. The swell is over 8ft, so it’s expert territory. This is the one to circle on the calendar.

Following that, Monday the 17th morning holds clean 8ft surf, but the afternoon turns to rubbish with a strong 25 mph cross-shore wind. The 20th of August sees another big swell, but it’s too large for the break with a 12ft south swell and strong winds.

For the final stretch, Thursday the 20th afternoon is a no-go – it's too big. Friday the 21st morning looks excellent for experts again with an 8ft south swell and clean conditions. Saturday the 22nd morning is a good finisher with a clean 5ft south swell and lighter winds.

So, to sum it up: the best bet for clean, powerful waves is the Sunday the 16th afternoon session. The Saturday the 8th morning is the pick of the first week. Be aware that Ocean Beach can get crowded when it’s good, so expect some company.

Rusty.

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