Playa Santa Catalina Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into what’s happening here at Playa Santa Catalina. Over the next couple of weeks, it’s a bit of a mixed bag with some real clean windows of opportunity, but also some days you’ll want to leave the board on the sand.

We start off with a pretty lackluster opening. Monday the 14th is small and messy, with a thunderstorm threat in the air. Swell is barely 1 ft of SSW groundswell with a long 12-second period, but the wave energy is weak (108). Not worth paddling out for. By Monday afternoon, the wind goes glassy but the swell is still tiny, so it’s a flat, glassy scene.

Tuesday the 15th you’d be better off checking the swell again later. Mornings are a write-off with 12 mph northeasterlies and poor conditions. Afternoon picks up a little to 2 ft, but it’s still marginal (446 combined energy – moderate). Still not enough to get excited about, and the wind stays cross-off.

Wednesday the 16th sees the swell stay around 3 ft, but with 16 mph cross-offshore winds in the morning and moderate breeze in the arvo, it’s not clean. Energy is moderate (396 and 369), but the conditions just aren’t there for a good session. Skip it.

Now, Thursday the 17th is where things start to look up. Morning glass-offshore winds from the NNE at 6 mph, 3 ft SSW swell with a 14-second period. The combined energy is solid moderate (359), and the wave comment says “expect good surf conditions.” This is a standout morning for those who can get out. The water temperature is about average for this time of year. The swell direction is right on the money for this exposed point. It won’t be big, but clean, lined-up waves. Afternoon turns to rubbish with cross-onshore winds and thunderstorms, so make the most of the morning.

Friday the 18th – another good morning call. Glassy, 3 mph offshore, 2 ft of SSW groundswell (13 seconds, long period). Energy is 263, still moderate and punchy. Clean conditions again. But same story – afternoon turns to junk with cross-onshore winds. Go early.

Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th are mostly forgettable. Saturday has a light cross-shore breeze and poor surf, and the small swell is weak. Sunday morning has glassy conditions and a 2 ft SSW groundswell with a very long 19-second period – that’s a proper long-period groundswell, which on this point break should produce some nice, walled-up waves. Combined energy is 378 (moderate), and it’s clean. That Sunday the 20th morning is another standout. But Sunday afternoon brings rain and onshore wind, shutting it down.

Monday the 21st – glassy morning again, with 2 ft and an 18-second period. Energy at 297. Another clean, small morning session. Afternoon gets messy.

The following week (from the 22nd onwards) is small and inconsistent overall. The standout here is Wednesday the 23rd: a dead calm, glassy morning with 2 ft from the SSW at a 15-second period. Energy is 203 (moderate and still punchy). That’s the pick of the second week – clean, glassy rights on the point. Thursday the 24th is flat and ordinary, and Friday the 25th is tiny with energy dropping into the double digits (86). Not worth it.

But look at the tail end – Monday the 28th and Tuesday the 29th both have glassy mornings with small, clean 2 ft to 2 ft SSW swell. Energy on the 29th is 242 (moderate). If you’re hanging for a session in the final days, those are your windows.

Overall, the best on offer is the morning of Thursday the 17th and Sunday the 20th. Clean, offshore or glassy, with enough long-period groundswell to make that point work. It’s not big, but it’ll be quality. For the second week, Wednesday the 23rd stands out as the cleanest option. Keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

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