
Surf Forecasts:
Princeton Breakwater surf forecast from 4 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 8 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 16s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 9s period, WNW swell with 630 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 6 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 9s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Princeton Breakwater this week:
The surf forecast for Princeton Breakwater over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 06) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Princeton Breakwater in the next 16 days are 2.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 2AM. 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+) | 5AM (Thu 6th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Princeton Breakwater over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, let’s take a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, it’s a tough stretch at Princeton Breakwater. We’re looking at a long, frustrating run of poor surf conditions, with only a couple of moments that might give you a little something to work with. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing wild there.
The first real chance to even think about paddling out comes on the morning of Tuesday, August 4th. You’ll see a small 4ft swell from the WNW, with a period of 9 seconds, and a light breeze from the SW keeping it clean. The combined energy is weak (249). It’s marginal, but if you’re a beginner just wanting to get wet, it might be worth a look. The wind stays light through the morning, but the swell drops off fast.
From there, it’s a real grind. The next few days are basically a write-off. Wednesday the 5th, Thursday the 6th, and Friday the 7th all show tiny, weak swell around 1ft to 2ft, with onshore or cross-onshore winds. The period jumps to 18 seconds on Friday, but with that tiny height, it’s just a waste of a long-period groundswell. The combined energy stays weak (under 300). Not worth the drive.
Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th don’t offer much relief either. The swell picks up a bit on Sunday, hitting 4ft in the morning, but the wind is still cross-onshore. By Sunday afternoon, the swell rises to 6ft with a combined energy of 1048 (moderate), but the wind is a gentle cross-onshore breeze, making it choppy and messy. With that size, it’s getting a bit much for beginners, and the quality just isn’t there for more experienced surfers.
The following week, from Monday the 10th through to Thursday the 14th, is a real mixed bag of onshore wind and small, weak swell. The swell holds around 5ft to 6ft, but the period is short, around 9 seconds, and the wind is never truly offshore. The combined energy stays moderate (400-600), but the conditions are just poor. It’s all a bit of a slog.
The one standout, if you can call it that, is the morning of Saturday, August 15th. We’ve got a 3ft swell from the SW with a long 16-second period, and the wind is a light cross-shore from the WNW. The combined energy is moderate (545). With that long period, the waves will have some shape and push, but at this break, the low height and the wind direction might make it a bit straight. Still, it’s the cleanest-looking window in the whole 16 days, and it’s a week and a half away, so keep an eye on it.
After that, the last few days of the run are more of the same: small, weak swell with cross-shore or cross-onshore winds. Nothing to write home about.
So, the bottom line: this is a very lean period. The only real flicker of hope is that Saturday morning, August 15th, with the long-period SW swell and light cross-shore wind. That’s your best bet, but don’t get your hopes too high. For everything else, you’re probably better off waiting for the next system to roll through.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed afternoon, min 14°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Fri morning, min 11°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | ||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 18 | SW 19 | SW 16 | SW 18 | SW 17 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
237 | 176 | 122 | 94 | 70 | 70 | 89 | 56 | 59 | 82 | 86 | 181 | 133 | 150 | 147 | 209 | 226 | 535 | 630 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 2:52AM1.22m | 3:20PM1.69m | 4:13AM1.08m | 4:03PM1.75m | 5:57AM1.02m | 4:55PM1.80m | 7:41AM1.08m | 5:54PM1.85m | 8:56AM1.18m | 6:58PM1.92m | 9:49AM1.29m | 8:01PM1.98m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:03PM0.50m | 8:43AM0.46m | 10:07PM0.37m | 9:27AM0.65m | 11:17PM0.24m | 10:23AM0.82m | 00:29AM0.09m | 11:36AM0.95m | 1:36AM-0.06m | 12:54PM1.00m | 2:36AM-0.20m | 2:04PM0.97m | 3:29AM-0.29m | ||||||
— | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | |
8:15 | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:09 | — | — | 8:08 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 13 |
Feels °C | 13 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SW 13 | WNW 8 | SW 19 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 |
237 | 176 | 122 | 94 | 44 | 43 | 70 | 40 | 39 | 82 | 26 | 181 | 50 | 104 | 75 | 209 | 226 | 393 | 630 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WNW 8 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SSW 16 | WNW 10 | SW 15 | SW 15 |
37 | 37 | 34 | 33 | 70 | 70 | 89 | 56 | 59 | 27 | 60 | 58 | 133 | 150 | 147 | 169 | 106 | 107 | 104 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WNW 10 | NW 10 | SW 20 | SSW 19 | SSW 20 | SW 18 | SW 18 | W 15 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WNW 10 | SW 16 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 |
40 | 36 | 36 | 35 | 20 | 23 | 15 | 37 | 37 | 50 | 86 | 4 | 42 | 37 | 35 | 36 | 122 | 13 | 12 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 9 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | 535 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 6 | 6 | 109 | 6 | 6 | 77 | 6 | 34 | 71 | 39 | 73 | 265 | 34 | 71 | 418 | 48 | 34 | 73 | 51 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Mateo | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Princeton Breakwater Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Princeton Breakwater provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Princeton Breakwater can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Princeton Breakwater 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 (Princeton Breakwater) 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 Princeton Breakwater 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.
Princeton Breakwater is 13 km (8 miles) from Millbrae. If you plan a vacation in San Mateo, look for hotels and other accommodation in Millbrae. Millbrae has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











