Rancho Santini Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break this down. The long-range look for Rancho Santini is a bit of a slow burner, but there’s a real standout window about a week and a half out that’s worth keeping an eye on.

Right now, we’re in a quiet spell. The first surfable action comes in Friday morning, August 14th, with a small 2ft SW swell at 18 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, but it’s tiny. The wind is offshore from the W at 9 mph, so it’s clean, but the energy is weak (572). The water temp is 69°, which is about normal for this time of year, just a touch above average. That afternoon sees a slight bump to 2ft, but still marginal. Honestly, it’s not worth paddling out for unless you’re desperate for a glide.

The rest of the first week is pretty grim. From Saturday the 15th through to the following Thursday, the swell stays small and the wind is mostly cross-onshore, making it choppy and poor. There’s a stretch of several days where the surf is just not worth your time. A few brief windows of offshore wind pop up, like Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th, but with swell barely reaching 3ft and the energy sitting in the low hundreds, it’s not going to offer much.

The real standout arrives on Tuesday, August 25th. That morning, the swell jumps to 7ft from the S, with a period of 16 seconds. The combined energy rockets up to 2249 – that’s strong wave energy, no doubt. Winds are light offshore from the W at 6 mph, which means clean, glassy conditions. This is the best on offer. The afternoon sees it peak at 8ft from the S, with energy at 2464. That’s solid, powerful surf. For Rancho Santini, which is exposed and consistent, this is a proper session. The swell direction is from the S, which is close to the optimum W direction, so it’s going to wrap in nicely. The only caveat is that 8ft is getting into expert territory for some, so if you’re not confident, maybe sit it out. The period is 15 seconds, so it’s a long-period groundswell – expect clean, well-shaped waves with good gaps between sets. This is the one to circle on your calendar.

Wednesday the 26th holds on well, with 7ft in the morning and 7ft in the afternoon, both from the SSW. Energy is still strong (1693 and 1411), and the wind stays light offshore. Still good, but the peak has passed.

After that, the swell backs off through the end of the month. Thursday the 27th has 5ft, but the period drops to 11-12 seconds, and the energy falls to around 700s. Still surfable, but nothing special. The last few days of August and into the 29th see small, clean conditions again, but nothing that compares to that mid-week pulse.

Overall, the first week is a write-off. The second week has a clear winner: Tuesday, August 25th through Wednesday, August 26th. That’s your window. It’s a long-range call, so keep an eye on the forecasts, but if it holds, Rancho Santini will be firing.

Rusty.

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