Oceanside Harbor Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first few days are a bit of a write-off. We’ve got waves, but they’re small, messy, and the wind is just mucking things up. From Saturday the 22nd through Monday the 24th, we’re looking at 2ft to 2ft swell from the SSW or SW, but it’s mostly cross-on or onshore. The wind is light, but it’s just enough to ruin the surface. It’s a proper struggle. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual.

We do start to see a little pulse of energy coming in around Tuesday the 25th, but it’s still very marginal. The swell bumps up a touch to 2ft, and the combined energy sits at 407 – that’s moderate energy, but the wind is still a cross-on mess. Not worth paddling out for.

Now, here’s where it gets a little more interesting. Wednesday the 26th sees a bit of a jump. The swell picks up to 3ft in the morning from the S, with moderate energy (710). By the afternoon, it’s hitting 6ft from the S, with strong energy (1310). That’s a proper spike, but the wind is a cross-on 15 km/h (9 mph), making it a bit choppy at the beach. We’re still in “marginal” territory, but it’s the first real sign of life.

The standouts, if you can call them that, are shaping up for the very end of the run. Saturday the 5th of September has a morning session with 4ft from the SSW on a 16-second period. That’s a long-period groundswell, and the combined energy is a solid 1267. The wind is light and onshore, but that’s a glassy, clean look in the morning. That’s your best bet right there. Then Sunday the 6th of September, we’ve got 5ft from the S on a 15-second period, with really strong energy at 1355. The wind is light and onshore again. That’s a touch bigger, so it’s getting into more advanced territory, but the conditions could be clean.

For the whole run, we’re looking at Oceanside Harbor (beach/jetty setup). It’s very consistent here, but it’s exposed to the W swell, and most of this swell is from the SSW or S. That’s not its ideal direction. The crowds are often there, so be ready for company. Because of the long-period groundswell, this spot is a beach/jetty, so those long-period waves can break a bit straight. It’s not the best setup for that kind of groundswell, but with light wind, it’s still rideable.

So, the honest truth? The first week is a dud. You’re waiting until the very end of the forecast, specifically the mornings of the 5th and 6th of September, for the best chance. Those are the standouts, promising but a bit far out so keep an eye on it. The rest is just a tease.

Rusty.

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