
Surf Forecasts:
Rockaway surf forecast from 4 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 10 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, NW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, NW swell with 1,331 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 3 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Rockaway this week:
The surf forecast for Rockaway over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 03) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 10s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rockaway in the next 16 days are 3.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 18s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rockaway over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s at Rockaway. This is a beach and reef setup, exposed to the swell, and it’s a consistent spot that can handle a good push. The water is sitting at 61°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – nothing crazy, but you’ll feel it’s a little more comfortable than usual.
The first real shout comes Monday morning, August 3rd. We’ve got a solid 7ft swell rolling in from the WNW with a period of 10 seconds, and the wind is a cross-off from the SSW at 9 mph. That’s clean, that’s got energy (996), and it’s looking like the best session on offer. The waves will have shape, the surface will be glassy, and it’s a good size for advanced surfers. This is the standout – don’t miss it.
After that, things drop off quickly. Tuesday and Wednesday (August 4th and 5th) see the swell shrink fast, down to 5ft and then 3ft, with cross-shore winds and a bit of chop. The energy drops into the low hundreds (383, then 204). It’s not worth paddling out for. Thursday through Saturday (August 6th to 8th) is even worse – tiny 2ft to 4ft swell, cross-onshore winds, and the wave comment says it all. You’re looking at a real dry spell of about 4 to 5 days with nothing worth getting wet for.
Sunday August 9th brings a pulse back – 8ft from the NW, but the wind is cross-onshore and there’s a lot of chop. The energy is high (926) but the quality is poor. Monday August 10th and Tuesday August 11th keep the size up (8ft to 10ft), but the wind stays cross-onshore or cross, with moderate chop. This is big, powerful swell (energy over 1000, up to 1489), but it’s messy. For expert surfers only, and honestly, the conditions are marginal. The period is short (8 to 9 seconds), so it’s not the clean groundswell you’d hope for.
The pattern continues with a few days of 7ft to 8ft swell and cross-onshore winds from Wednesday August 12th to Friday August 14th. The energy is still there (596 to 1072), but the surface is choppy. It’s not a write-off, but it’s not the kind of session you’d tell your mates about.
Then, on Saturday August 15th, we get a surprise. The morning shows a clean 3ft swell from the SW with a very long period of 17 seconds, light cross-off wind from the SSW at 9 mph. The energy is 720 – moderate, but the quality is high. The water is clean. This is a classic groundswell, better suited to the reef setup here – the waves will have shape and power, even if they’re not huge. It’s a promising little window, but it’s two weeks out, so keep an eye on the forecast.
Sunday August 16th stays small but clean, with a 2ft to 5ft swell and light winds. Not a standout. Monday August 17th sees another pulse of 8ft to 10ft from the NW, but again with cross-onshore wind and chop. The energy is strong (1066 and 1173), but the conditions are marginal. Tuesday August 18th fades out with 6ft and a short period, cross-onshore wind.
Best bet: Monday morning, August 3rd. That’s the one. After that, the long-range Saturday August 15th morning is a dark horse – clean, groundswell, but it’s a ways off.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon afternoon, min 13°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu morning, min 11°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | WNW 10 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 19 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
970 | 710 | 424 | 323 | 241 | 179 | 106 | 148 | 106 | 85 | 84 | 84 | 83 | 181 | 143 | 173 | 201 | 1083 | 905 | 865 | 1328 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 2:55PM2.22m | 3:09AM1.80m | 3:31PM2.27m | 4:28AM1.67m | 4:15PM2.32m | 6:04AM1.61m | 5:09PM2.37m | 7:38AM1.66m | 6:10PM2.44m | 8:51AM1.75m | 7:14PM2.53m | 9:44AM1.86m | 8:16PM2.62m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:19AM0.77m | 9:22PM0.93m | 8:54AM0.96m | 10:27PM0.82m | 9:35AM1.14m | 11:38PM0.67m | 10:29AM1.29m | 00:48AM0.51m | 11:39AM1.40m | 1:53AM0.33m | 12:57PM1.44m | 2:50AM0.17m | 2:09PM1.39m | 3:41AM0.05m | |||||||
6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | |
— | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:10 | — | — | 8:09 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 10 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | NW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | NW 7 | SW 19 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 |
970 | 710 | 424 | 323 | 241 | 179 | 106 | 148 | 106 | 77 | 62 | 36 | 79 | 181 | 143 | 173 | 201 | 226 | 220 | 146 | 142 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 15 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 17 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 |
65 | 62 | 37 | 60 | 36 | 39 | 71 | 70 | 69 | 85 | 84 | 84 | 83 | 58 | 135 | 270 | 200 | 56 | 28 | 13 | 25 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SW 15 | SW 15 | NW 10 | SW 11 | NW 8 | SW 20 | NW 8 | NW 8 | SSW 19 | S 11 | SW 13 | SW 12 | WNW 11 | S 9 | SW 23 | SW 21 | SW 22 |
26 | 41 | 40 | 37 | 56 | 33 | 27 | 19 | 34 | 60 | 16 | 18 | 136 | 9 | 83 | 34 | 43 | 6 | 21 | 18 | 18 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 7 | — | — | — | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 9 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 104 | — | — | — | 1083 | 905 | 865 | 1328 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 120 | 0 | 2 | 120 | 0 | 2 | 66 | 5 | 22 | 91 | 51 | 84 | 274 | 22 | 61 | 429 | 22 | 22 | 84 | 45 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Mateo | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Rockaway Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Rockaway provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Rockaway can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Rockaway 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 (Rockaway) 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 Rockaway 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.
Rockaway is 1 km (1 miles) from Pacifica. If you plan a vacation in San Mateo, look for hotels and other accommodation in Pacifica. Pacifica has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











