
Surf Forecasts:
Oceanside Harbor surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 14s period, SSW swell with 1,526 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 18s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Oceanside Harbor this week:
The surf forecast for Oceanside Harbor over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 03) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 12s. Another secondary swell of 0.7m and 6s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Oceanside Harbor in the next 16 days are 2.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 13s period and expected on Friday (Sep 04) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Oceanside Harbor over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Oceanside Harbor. Gotta be straight with you – this stretch of 16 days is looking pretty grim. We’ve got a long, quiet gap to start, and the first real glimmer of something rideable doesn’t show up until the morning of Thursday the 4th. Even then, it’s a struggle.
Overall, the pattern is dominated by poor surf conditions and a lot of cross-onshore or onshore wind. The swell energy is mostly moderate at best, with the combined energy values sitting in the low hundreds to barely cracking 1,500 (1320 to 1562) on the better days. The problem is that even when the swell does bump up, the wind is messy, and the quality just isn’t there for a good paddle session.
Let’s break it down. Thursday morning, the 3rd, is a total write-off. There’s a tiny 2ft SW swell with a 15-second period, but the wind is on it and the combined energy is only 364 – weak. The report says “poor surf conditions,” and I’m not going to argue.
Things start to look a little less hopeless on Friday the 4th. The morning shows a 3ft SSW swell, period pulling 17 seconds, and the combined energy bumps up to 690. The wind is a light breeze from the SSW, which is onshore, but the energy is there. The catch is the report calls it “marginal surf forecast.” It’s not good, but it’s the first chance to get wet if you’re desperate. The afternoon gets messier with cross-onshore wind.
Saturday the 5th is more of the same: 3ft to 4ft SSW swell, still some marginal energy (803 to 978), but the wind is cross-onshore or light. Still not clean.
The best of the whole outlook, and I mean the only time it gets close to interesting, is the weekend of the 6th and 7th. Sunday the 6th has the swell jumping to 6ft to 6ft from the S, with a 14-second period. The combined energy hits 1320 to 1413 – that’s moderate wave energy. Morning is clear with a light SW breeze, which is onshore but light. This is the biggest swell of the window. But at 6ft to 6ft, it’s getting into the size that’s more for intermediate and above; beginners will find it a handful. The direction is from the S, and the optimum swell for Oceanside Harbor is from the W, so it’s not a perfect match. It’s a beach/jetty setup, so a long-period S swell can be a bit wonky until it sorts itself out. Afternoon stays clean enough with a light WSW breeze.
Monday the 7th keeps the size at 6ft to 7ft from the SSW, but the wind turns cross-onshore from the W, and the energy is high (1404 to 1562). The chop gets nasty by the afternoon.
After that, it’s a slow, steady slide into the gutter. Tuesday the 8th drops back to 5ft to 6ft, but the wind is cross-onshore and the conditions are poor. From Wednesday the 9th all the way through to Friday the 18th, the swell is mostly under 3ft, the combined energy is in the low hundreds (mostly under 500), and the wind is constantly cross-onshore or onshore. We’re talking long periods of “poor surf conditions” and “marginal surf forecast.” The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no weird anomalies there.
The long-range stuff, like the 17th and 18th, shows a tiny 2ft to 2ft SW swell with a very long period of 20-22 seconds – that’s groundswell energy. But the combined energy is still weak (514 to 720), and the wind is cross-onshore. A long period groundswell that small with cross-wind is just frustrating, not fun.
Honestly, if you’re a kiter, the days with moderate cross-onshore wind and 5ft to 7ft swell might look more interesting than anything for a paddle surfer. For the rest of us, it’s a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sat morning, min 19°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Sun morning, min 21°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | ||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 17 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | S 14 | S 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
291 | 188 | 399 | 651 | 587 | 566 | 620 | 512 | 561 | 645 | 1298 | 1382 | 1215 | 1399 | 1526 | 1249 | 953 | 734 | 608 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 2:40AM1.23m | 1:48PM2.00m | 6:05AM1.25m | 3:13PM1.98m | 7:12AM1.38m | 4:46PM2.04m | 7:41AM1.51m | 6:01PM2.14m | 8:09AM1.64m | 7:00PM2.24m | 8:37AM1.76m | 7:51PM2.30m | |||||||
Low Tide | 8:23PM0.65m | 6:24AM1.10m | 10:07PM0.59m | 7:01AM1.25m | 11:37PM0.45m | 10:01AM1.32m | 00:40AM0.30m | 11:49AM1.23m | 1:27AM0.18m | 12:55PM1.08m | 2:07AM0.11m | 1:47PM0.90m | 2:43AM0.10m | ||||||
— | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | |
— | — | 7:12 | — | — | 7:10 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:06 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 21 |
Feels °C | 20 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | S 14 | S 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 |
203 | 140 | 399 | 651 | 587 | 566 | 620 | 512 | 561 | 645 | 1298 | 1382 | 1215 | 1399 | 1526 | 1249 | 953 | 734 | 608 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 10 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 11 | S 12 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | W 6 | SW 11 | WSW 11 | W 5 | — | W 10 | SW 18 | SW 18 | W 5 |
31 | 36 | 56 | 31 | 25 | 78 | 113 | 225 | 350 | 411 | 7 | 18 | 37 | 5 | — | 8 | 109 | 109 | 18 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 17 | SW 15 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | S 14 | W 5 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 20 | W 12 | WNW 5 | — | — | — | SSW 21 | SW 21 | SW 16 |
291 | 188 | 58 | 47 | 78 | 100 | 11 | 66 | 67 | 44 | 15 | 3 | 9 | — | — | — | 44 | 18 | 130 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | W 6 | — | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — | — | W 11 | — | W 6 | W 5 | — |
— | — | 23 | — | — | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | — | 36 | — | 10 | 13 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 68 | 68 | 0 | 68 | 68 | 0 | 68 | 68 | 0 | 46 | 68 | 0 | 68 | 171 | 0 | 68 | 171 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Diego County | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Oceanside Harbor Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Oceanside Harbor provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Oceanside Harbor can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Oceanside Harbor surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Oceanside Harbor) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Oceanside Harbor may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Oceanside Harbor is 8 km (5 miles) from the city of Oceanside. If you plan a vacation in San Diego County, look for hotels and other accommodation in Oceanside. Oceanside has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










