
Surf Forecasts:
Ponto surf forecast from 22 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 21s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 17s period, SSW swell with 1,120 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 22 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 14s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Ponto this week:
The surf forecast for Ponto over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Ponto in the next 16 days are 1.4m 17s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 21s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Tue 28th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Ponto over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.
We’re looking at a pretty uninspiring stretch for Ponto. The good news? There’s surf every day – but the bad news? It’s mostly messy, onshore, and just not cooperating. The best of the bunch is honestly a case of "least bad" rather than "good."
The first few days, from Tuesday the 21st through to the afternoon of the 23rd, are a write-off. Cross-on winds from the west keep the surface choppy, and the combo of moderate energy (around 552 to 670) and poor surf conditions means you’re better off doing something else. The water is sitting at a balmy 75°F, which is *much warmer than normal* for this time of year – over 8° warmer, which is a real standout anomaly.
Thursday the 23rd sees a slight shift. Morning winds turn onshore from the WSW at 6 mph, and we get a 4 ft SSW swell at 13 seconds. The energy is still moderate (618), but the conditions are labelled "marginal" – not great, but at least you’re not getting chopped to bits. It’s still a struggle, but the morning window is the only real chance to get wet.
Friday the 24th through to the end of July brings a long run of marginal surf. Swell heights stay between 2 ft and 4 ft, with periods ranging from 11 to 24 seconds. The swell direction is mostly SW or SSW, which is not the optimum for this river mouth spot. The winds are still cross-onshore or onshore, so expect a bumpy ride. The combined energy climbs into the 800–1000 range, so there’s some push, but the quality just isn’t there.
The standout – if you can call it that – comes on the morning of Sunday the 26th, and again on Monday the 27th. On Sunday, a 4 ft SW swell at 19 seconds delivers moderate energy (1033), and the onshore wind is a light 9 mph, so it’s not a total washout. Monday the 27th is similar: 4 ft at 18 seconds, with lighter winds at 6 mph in the afternoon. These are the best windows, but they’re still only marginal.
Heading into the first week of August, the 31st of July sees a bit of a pulse – Friday afternoon has a 6 ft S swell at 15 seconds, with energy hitting 1225. That’s the biggest swell of the whole period, but with onshore winds at 9 mph, it’s going to be a crumbly, lumpy mess. For experts only, if you’re desperate.
By the 1st of August, it’s fading fast. Swell drops to 5 ft, and the energy is down to 666. The 2nd of August is a total bust – 2 ft and poor conditions. The 3rd through the 5th are flat and windy, with energy under 300 and no redeeming features.
Honestly, there’s no true standout in this 16-day window. The whole thing is a long, average run of marginal surf. If you’ve got to paddle out, target the mornings of the 26th, 27th, or the 31st of July – but keep your expectations low. It’s not often that Ponto looks this average for so long, but forecasts can change. For now, it’s a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Thu morning, min 21°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Fri afternoon, min 21°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | ||||||||||||||
PM | 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) | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SW 24 | S 11 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 17 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
559 | 559 | 437 | 394 | 400 | 468 | 339 | 350 | 563 | 166 | 664 | 664 | 640 | 863 | 863 | 743 | 719 | 926 | 978 | 771 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 3:53PM1.88m | 5:50AM1.24m | 4:47PM1.90m | 7:36AM1.30m | 5:41PM1.94m | 8:29AM1.38m | 6:30PM2.00m | 9:02AM1.44m | 7:14PM2.07m | 9:28AM1.49m | 7:53PM2.15m | 9:53AM1.52m | 8:29PM2.22m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:35PM0.77m | 9:32AM1.13m | 00:42AM0.64m | 10:46AM1.22m | 1:31AM0.51m | 12:00PM1.25m | 2:10AM0.40m | 12:56PM1.23m | 2:45AM0.31m | 1:39PM1.18m | 3:16AM0.24m | 2:17PM1.12m | 3:47AM0.20m | |||||||
— | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | |
7:55 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 25 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 26 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 22 |
Feels °C | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 23 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | W 7 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | W 7 | S 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 17 |
559 | 559 | 437 | 394 | 114 | 468 | 339 | 350 | 82 | 166 | 244 | 246 | 199 | 863 | 863 | 743 | 719 | 926 | 978 | 771 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 9 | SSW 8 | SW 8 | S 14 | SSW 14 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | S 12 | W 7 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SW 21 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 11 | W 7 | SW 12 |
92 | 61 | 32 | 203 | 400 | 99 | 73 | 99 | 224 | 46 | 664 | 664 | 640 | 203 | 138 | 135 | 151 | 99 | 34 | 87 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | SW 21 | S 16 | SW 8 | S 13 | SW 18 | SW 26 | SW 26 | SW 24 | SSW 13 | W 6 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | SSW 10 | W 7 |
19 | 71 | 78 | 20 | 272 | 51 | 171 | 105 | 563 | 141 | 30 | 32 | 29 | 19 | 32 | 32 | 23 | 33 | 38 | 14 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NW 3 | W 4 | W 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 3 | 5 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 54 | 47 | 54 | 54 | 0 | 54 | 53 | 0 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 177 | 0 | 31 | 101 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 31 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Diego County | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Ponto Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Ponto provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Ponto can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Ponto 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 (Ponto) 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 Ponto 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.
Ponto is 2 km (1 miles) from the city of Carlsbad. If you plan a vacation in San Diego County, look for hotels and other accommodation in Carlsbad. Carlsbad has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










