Ocean Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a big run of surf coming, but it’s not all smooth sailing. The first few days are a bit of a write-off, so be patient. The real standout action is a solid window from Sunday, the 2nd of August, through to Wednesday, the 5th of August, with some serious size and clean conditions for those who are up for it.

The first surfable day is Friday, the 31st of July, at Ocean Beach. It’s a beach and reef setup, fairly exposed. The water is sitting at 54.5°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so don’t forget the extra rubber. The swell is a small 2.6 ft from the ESE, with a period of 11 seconds, giving a moderate wave energy of 196. Winds are offshore from the W at 12 mph, so it’ll be clean, but honestly, it’s pretty ordinary. Not worth getting excited about.

Saturday, the 1st of August, is a no-go. The swell jumps up to 9.8 ft from the SSW, which is too big for beginners, and the cross-off winds from the SW at 15-19 mph make it messy. The wave energy is very strong (1975 and 2620), but the conditions are marginal. Skip it.

Now, Sunday, the 2nd of August, is where it starts to get interesting. Morning sees a 7.9 ft S swell (12-second period, 1893 energy) with a clean offshore W wind at 6 mph. The afternoon is even better: glassy conditions with a WNW wind of just 3 mph, and the swell dropping to a still-solid 6.9 ft from the S (11-second period, 1344 energy). This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The sets will have good shape and energy, and the glassy wind will make for some beautiful, clean faces. This is a true standout.

Monday, the 3rd of August, is a good follow-up. The swell drops to 4.3 ft from the SSE (10-second period, 508 energy) in the morning, with a light cross-off WNW wind. Clean and fun for a wider range of surfers. The afternoon holds 3.3 ft from the SSE with a moderate offshore WSW wind at 12 mph. Good, solid conditions.

Tuesday, the 4th, is a mixed bag. The morning has a 7.9 ft S swell with a long 14-second period (2079 energy), but cross-off winds from the SW. It’s clean, but the long period means it might be a bit straight at the beach break. The afternoon is a no-go: the swell hits 11.5 ft from the S (15-second period, 5306 energy) with a strong cross-shore wind. That’s expert-only territory, and even then, it’s probably too big and messy.

Wednesday, the 5th, is another standout morning. A 9.8 ft S swell (14-second period, 3033 energy) with a light offshore WSW wind at 6 mph. That’s clean, powerful, and for experienced surfers only. The afternoon sees the swell drop to 8.2 ft with a cross-shore wind, making it less appealing.

Thursday, the 6th, is a step down but still decent. A 6.2 ft S swell (12-second period, 995 energy) with a clean cross-off WSW wind in the morning. The afternoon gets a cross-onshore wind, so go early.

Friday, the 7th, is small. A 3.3 ft S swell (10-second period, 402 energy) with a clean cross-off NW wind. The afternoon has a tiny 3.0 ft S swell with a very long 18-second period (700 energy), but a cross-onshore wind. That long period might make it straight, and the wind is poor.

The second week is a bit of a gamble. Saturday, the 8th, has a 4.9 ft S swell (13-second period, 871 energy) with a clean cross-off NW wind in the morning. Not bad. Sunday, the 9th, is the best of the late run: an 8.2 ft SSE swell (8-second period, 1329 energy) in the morning with a clean cross-off WNW wind, and the afternoon goes glassy with a NNE wind at 3 mph and an 8.2 ft SE swell (8-second period, 1167 energy). That’s a promising session, but the short period means it won’t have the same grunt.

From Monday, the 10th, through to the end of the window, it gets pretty grim. Strong winds, messy conditions, and poor surf. Monday the 10th has an 8.2 ft SE swell but with a nasty 19 mph cross-shore N wind. Tuesday the 11th has a 7.5 ft ENE swell with a long 12-second period (2150 energy) and a clean cross-off NNW wind in the morning, which is a glimmer

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