Playa Santa Catalina Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve got the lowdown on what’s happening at Playa Santa Catalina. It’s a classic point break setup, and it’s very consistent, so we’ve got something to look at across the whole 16-day window. No gap at the start—the first session is on the money.

The water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual there.

We kick off on Friday, August 21st with a solid morning. There’s a 4ft SSW swell running with a 11-second period, and the wind is glassy from the NNE at 3 mph. The wave energy is moderate (367). That’s a real nice combo for a point break, clean face, good shape. That’s your standout early in the window. The afternoon turns to a cross-on SW breeze and a risk of storms, so make the most of the morning.

Saturday 22nd drops a bit to 3ft SSW, but still glassy in the morning. Clean, but smaller. The energy drops to 244. It’s a fun little wave, nothing to write home about. The afternoons are consistently cross-on and stormy, so it’s a morning-only game for the first few days.

Sunday 23rd is tiny—2ft in the morning with a long 13-second period, giving it a bit of push. The wind is a light cross-off from the NE, so it’s clean. The energy is moderate (259). Still a small wave, but the long period means it’ll hold up better than the size suggests. The afternoon gets messy with onshore wind.

Monday 24th through Wednesday 26th are flat to tiny—2ft to 2ft. The long periods (15-18 seconds) give it some shape, but it’s a real knee-to-waist high session. The mornings are glassy or clean, so it’s a paddle and a tan, not a thrash.

Thursday 27th sees a pulse of 5ft SW swell, but it’s short-period at 6 seconds. That’s a windswell, and it’s coming in with a cross-on WSW wind. The energy is moderate (356), but the short period and onshore wind make it choppy. Not a great one.

Friday 28th is back to 2ft SSW with a 16-second period. Glassy morning again. Pretty, but small.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Saturday, August 29th is a standout. The morning brings 3ft SSW swell, but the period is a solid 17 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 515 (moderate-to-strong). The wind is glassy from the NNE. This is a proper groundswell on a point break. The long period will make it wall up nicely, and the small size with that energy means it’ll be punchy. Clean, glassy, and the optimum swell direction is SSW, which is exactly what’s hitting. This is a top pick.

Sunday 30th is similar—4ft SSW with a 16-second period, clean offshore wind from the NNW in the morning. Energy is high (892). This is another strong session. The size is getting up there, but it’s still manageable for experienced surfers. The afternoon gets cross-on again, so get out early.

Monday 31st through to Wednesday, September 2nd hold in the 3ft to 4ft range, all with good 12-14 second periods. Glassy mornings. Consistent, clean, easy paddling. The energy stays moderate (300-523). These are solid, fun days for a point break.

The absolute best of the window is Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th mornings. The combination of the long-period groundswell hitting exactly from the optimum direction (SSW), the glassy/offshore winds, and the moderate-to-strong energy makes for clean, punchy waves. The point break setup will handle the long period perfectly, giving you long, lined-up rides.

The crowds are listed as "sometimes," so you might have a few others out, but with a point break like this, you can find a peak.

Friday, September 4th morning is another late-stage standout. 3ft SSW with a very long 18-second period, glassy conditions, and combined energy of 667 (moderate-to-strong). That’s a strong, clean groundswell. It’s a week and a half out, so confidence is a bit lower, but it looks promising on paper.

The pattern is clear: mornings are the ticket. The afternoons are almost universally a write-off with cross-on or onshore wind and a risk of thunderstorms. Don’t bother with the afternoon sessions unless you’re desperate for a splash.

The only real caveat is that the swell is never huge—topping out at 5ft—so it’s not a beginner-buster, but the long periods mean it’s got push. For a point break, this is a really solid run of surf.

Stay stoked, get out early, and I’ll see you in the lineup.

Rusty

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