Ocean Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty checkin' in from the local stretch. Let's break down what's coming at us over the next couple of weeks.

The main story here is the first week, with a couple of really solid windows for experienced surfers, but then a long, flat, and messy patch that stretches for days. We've got a bit of a slow start, but once it gets going, there's some proper grunt in the water.

The water temp is sitting right where it should be for this time of year, nothing weird going on there.

First real action is Monday morning, 31 August at Ocean Beach. It's a beach and reef setup, fairly exposed. Swell is a clean 3 ft from the SSW with a very long 17-second period pushing a moderate 533 units of energy. Wind is offshore from the WNW at 16 mph, keeping it clean. The long period will make for some nice lines, but it might have a bit of a wait between sets.

Tuesday morning, 1 September, is a beast, but not for the faint-hearted. The swell has jacked to 12 ft from the SSW. That's a lot of water, and with a combined energy of 5312, it's a full-on power session. Wind is cross-off from the SW at 12 mph, so it will be clean, but this is strictly for the experienced crew. It's too big for anyone else.

The standout window, and the real highlight of the outlook, is Wednesday, 2 September. Wednesday morning is solid with 7 ft of S swell at 13 seconds, producing 2497 units of energy. The wind is a gentle offshore from the WNW at 9 mph. That's a recipe for excellent, well-shaped waves for experienced surfers. Wednesday afternoon is even better, with 8 ft S swell, a long 17-second period, and a massive 4666 energy reading. The wind is light and cross-off from the WNW at 6 mph. The waves will be powerful, clean, and have that long-period punch. If you're gunning for the best session, this is it.

Thursday, 3 September, eases off quickly. Morning is a clean 4 ft, but the energy drops to 560. Afternoon only has 3 ft on the dial. Both are clean, but it's a comedown from the previous day.

Then we hit the doldrums. From Friday, 4 September, all the way through to Tuesday morning, 8 September, the surf is either poor, tiny, or messy. That's a solid four-day stretch of nothing special. The energy numbers drop into the double digits and low hundreds, and the swell periods are short and choppy. There's a glimmer on Tuesday morning, 8 September, with 5 ft from the SSW and 718 energy, but it's a one-off clean window before it goes back to ordinary.

The second week is a mixed bag of mostly poor conditions. The swell direction swings around, but the energy is low and the wind is often cross or onshore. There's a spike on Saturday, 12 September, with 8 ft of S swell and 1108 energy, but it's a short period of 8 seconds and the wind is fresh cross-shore, which will make it a lumpy mess. That's more of a kitesurfing setup than a paddling one. The 13 September also has size (8 ft) but the wind is cross and onshore, making it marginal.

Overall, the clear winner is Wednesday, 2 September. Get on it, because the waiting game after that is long.

- Rusty

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