Playa Santa Catalina Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

We’ve got one spot on the radar, and it’s a solid point break that’s going to be working consistently. The overall pattern is a slow, steady build from small, clean waves into a more substantial pulse later on, with a few standout windows that are well worth marking on the calendar. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing freaky there.

The first real action starts Thursday morning, 6 August. It’s small, with waves around 2 ft from the SSW, but the wind is glassy from the north at 3 mph. There’s not much energy in the water yet (177), but it’s clean enough for a longboard splash. Thursday afternoon gets a little more period and energy (233), but a light cross-shore chops it up. Not the best, but it’s a start.

Friday morning, 7 August, we see a slight bump to 2 ft, still from the SSW. The wind switches to a cross-off from the NE at 9 mph, and the energy climbs to 314. The waves start to look cleaner. The afternoon though gets a bit cross-shore and messy again.

Now, Saturday morning, 8 August, is where it starts to get good. Offshore wind from the NNE at 6 mph, waves at 3 ft, period up to 16 seconds, and energy hitting 509. That’s a nice, clean, lined-up point break session. The afternoon has a chance of thunderstorms and a bit of a cross-off, but it’s still clean enough at 3 ft.

Sunday and Monday, 9 and 10 August, are a bit of a holding pattern. Clean conditions but the size drops back to 2 ft, and the energy sits around 250-390. Good for a paddle, but not the standout.

The first real standout hits on Tuesday afternoon, 11 August. Glassy conditions from the ESE at 3 mph, 2 ft SSW swell, but the period jumps to 18 seconds and the energy is 517. That’s a long-period groundswell, and on a point break like Playa Santa Catalina, it’s going to produce some beautifully shaped, clean lines. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, but it’s worth it.

The next big call is Saturday morning, 15 August. We’ve got offshore wind from the north at 3 mph, waves up to 4 ft, period 16 seconds, and energy at 666. That’s solid, moderate-strong energy, and the wave size is still manageable for advanced surfers. The afternoon gets a little onshore and messy, but the morning is a gem.

Looking further out, the pattern keeps giving. Friday morning, 14 August, has offshore wind and 2 ft from the SW, with period 18 seconds, but the energy is 469. It’s good, but not the top pick.

The absolute best of the whole forecast lands on the morning of Friday, 21 August. That’s still a week and a half away, so keep your fingers crossed, but the data says: 4 ft from the SSW, period 16 seconds, 753 energy, and a light cross-off from the NNE at 3 mph. That’s the biggest, cleanest, most powerful swell of the window. On a point break, that’s going to be firing. If you can get out there, that’s the day.

There are a few afternoons here and there with onshore wind and poor conditions, especially from Wednesday 12 August onward, but the mornings consistently deliver. Don’t bother with the afternoons if the wind is from the south or southwest.

So, bottom line: the best bet is Saturday morning, 15 August, and the long-range standout is Friday morning, 21 August. The rest of the time, there’s always something rideable, but those two are the ones to plan around.

Rusty.

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