Ocean Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s cut through the noise and look at what’s coming for Ocean Beach over the next couple of weeks.

We’re starting off with a bit of a dud, to be honest. The first few days are a write-off – Wednesday the 12th through to Thursday the 13th, the wind is a mess and the swell is junk. It’s not worth paddling out for that cross-onshore chop. We’ve got a couple of days of “poor surf conditions” to get through before anything interesting happens.

Things start to get a little more interesting on Friday, August 14th. The morning is still a bit of a question mark with a 7 ft NE swell, but the period is short at 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit lumpy. The real highlight of the day is the afternoon. The wind goes glassy, the swell drops to 5 ft, and it’s clean. That’s a solid window for a session. The wave energy is moderate (384), and with that glassy surface, it’ll be a fun little window.

Heading into the weekend, Saturday, August 15th, morning is the pick. We’ve got a 6 ft ENE swell with a clean, cross-off breeze from the SSW. The combined energy is moderate (489), and the conditions are clean. It’s not a massive day, but it’s a good, manageable size for most. The afternoon gets a bit messy with a cross-shore wind, so get in early.

Now, hold on to your board, because Sunday, August 16th is a beast. The swell is forecast to jump to 12 ft from the south, with a period of 9 seconds. The wind is cross-off and clean, but the combined energy is massive (2002 in the morning, 2349 in the afternoon). This is a major event. For Ocean Beach, a beach and reef setup, this much juice is going to be a washing machine. It’s flagged as “too big for this break,” which is a polite way of saying it’s expert-only, and even then, it’s going to be a battle. The conditions are clean, but the size is the story here. This is a day to watch from the sand unless you’re a proper charger.

The big swell hangs around through Monday and Tuesday the 17th and 18th, with 10 ft SSE swells and strong cross-off winds. The energy is through the roof (over 2000), but the reports are “marginal” because the size is pushing the limits of the break. It’s still going to be wild and powerful.

Wednesday, August 19th, brings the biggest swell of the forecast. The morning shows an 18 ft S swell with a 14-second period. The combined energy is an enormous 18437. This is a serious, groundswell event. That’s a very long period, which means it’ll be powerful and walled up at a beach break. It’s far too big for this spot. The afternoon drops to 13 ft, but it’s still massive. Again, expert-only territory.

After that chaos, we get a real gem. Thursday, August 20th, morning is a standout. The swell drops to a more manageable 8 ft from the south, with a solid 12-second period. The wind is glassy, and the conditions are described as “excellent for experienced surfers.” The energy is moderate (1747). This is the best session on offer for competent surfers. It’s clean, powerful, and not trying to kill you.

The following days are a mixed bag. Friday, August 21st, morning is another good one. The swell is 6 ft from the south, the wind is offshore from the WNW, and it’s clean. The energy is moderate (691). That’s a very nice, clean wave for a Friday sesh. Saturday, August 22nd, morning is also worth a mention – 4 ft from the south, clean with a light offshore.

After that, the 16-day window fades out with a long stretch of small, poor surf from the 23rd through the 27th. The swell drops below 3 ft, and the wind turns onshore or cross-shore, making it messy. The energy is all weak (under 300). The final day, Thursday, August 27th, has a clean offshore wind but only 2 ft to 3 ft of swell. It’s surfable but very ordinary. You’d be scratching for rides.

To sum it up: The week starts rubbish, then we get a massive, dangerous swell for the middle of the period. The clear standout is Thursday morning, August 20th – glassy, 8 ft S swell with a long period. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. Friday morning the 21st is a solid runner-up. The rest is either too big, too small, or too windy.

The water temp is sitting at 53°F, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year (-3°F anomaly). Suit up accordingly.

Rusty.

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