Ocean Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s check out what Ocean Beach has cookin’ over the next couple of weeks. It’s a real mixed bag, but a couple of those windows are gonna get your heart racing.

We’re starting off with a serious dose of power. On Tuesday the 1st of September, the ocean is absolutely pumping. We’re looking at a 12ft SSW swell, with a very strong combined energy reading (5344). This ain’t a day for the beginners or the weak of heart; it’s big, it’s powerful, and it’s strictly for the experienced crew. Winds are a moderate cross-off, so it’ll be clean, but that size is the whole story.

That energy backs down for Wednesday the 2nd, but it’s still a standout. A 7ft to 8ft S swell (2553 to 3477 energy) with a long 13 to 17 second period. This is proper groundswell. The direction is S, which isn’t the perfect SE for the spot, but with light to slight winds, the waves will have shape and grunt. This is more doable for strong intermediates, but still on the expert side. Thursday the 3rd sees decent 5ft to 4ft S swell with light winds, making for a good, clean session for those who can handle those long lines.

Then we hit a dead spell. From Friday the 4th right through to the morning of Tuesday the 8th, the wave quality tanks. There are a few knee-high scraps here and there, but nothing worth paddling out for. The energy levels are low, and the wind’s not playing nice. It’s a classic autumn flat spell.

Now, pay attention. Tuesday the 8th of September fires back up. The morning session brings a solid 8ft S swell with a strong energy readout (1933). This is once again “expert only” territory. The wind is a slight air, so the surface will be like glass. This is your next real shot at something memorable, but again, only if you’ve got the chops. The afternoon goes onshore and messy, so grab it in the morning.

After that, the rest of the week into the next looks poor. We get a tiny glimpse of something interesting on the afternoon of Sunday the 13th of September. A little 2ft long-period groundswell from the SSW (18 seconds) with glassy conditions. It ain’t gonna be big, but for the patient surfer who wants a long, clean glide without the crowd, that’s a quiet little treasure.

Finally, mark your calendar for Tuesday the 15th of September. The morning delivers a solid 6ft SSW swell (997 energy) with clean conditions and light winds. This is another very good option for the experienced folks. The period is a shorter 9 seconds, so it’ll be a bit more chunky and less about drawn-out lines, but there’ll be plenty of push.

With so many days of nothing in between, don’t sleep on the few good windows we’ve got. The water temp is about average for this time of year in San Francisco. Crowds at Ocean Beach are always a possibility, especially on the good days. Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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