
Surf Forecasts:
Rockpile surf forecast from 4 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 13s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 14s period, SSW swell with 1,376 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Rockpile this week:
The surf forecast for Rockpile over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 05) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rockpile in the next 16 days are 1.9m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sat 5th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rockpile over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for Rockpile over the next couple of weeks.
First up, the water temp is sitting at 73°, which is a solid 5° warmer than what we’d normally expect this time of year – that’s a real treat, feels like a late summer gift.
Now, the surf outlook. We’ve got a decent run of swell on the way, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag with the wind. The best of the action is going to be from Sunday, the 6th of September, through Monday, the 7th. That’s where we see the most size and energy.
The standout period is Sunday morning, the 6th. We’re looking at a clean 6 ft swell from the SSW, with a 14-second period and a moderate cross-offshore breeze from the NNW. The wave energy is solid at (1197), and the conditions are described as clean. That’s the pick of the whole forecast for me. It’s got some punch to it, but it’s not too big for a confident beginner. Sunday afternoon holds up nicely too, with a slightly bigger 6 ft swell (1377), still clean with a cross-offshore breeze.
Monday, the 7th, is still a goer. You’ve got 6 ft swell from the SSW in the morning, but the wind swings more cross-shore, so it won’t be quite as glassy. Still, there’s plenty of energy in the water (1291 in the morning). The afternoon drops a touch to 6 ft (1157), but it’s a similar story.
After Monday, the size and energy start to fade. From Tuesday the 8th onwards, the swell drops below 5 ft, and the wind is mostly cross or cross-on, so the quality slips. We hit a real flat spell from about the 12th of September, with waves dropping to 2 ft or less and poor conditions. That stretch of small, weak surf lasts for several days.
There is a little flicker of hope late in the window. Around the 19th of September, we see a small 3 ft, long-period swell (19 seconds) from the SW, with an onshore wind. The wave energy is moderate (674), but the wind direction isn’t ideal. It’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it, but for now, I wouldn’t plan around it.
So, the call is simple: get out there Saturday and Sunday (the 5th and 6th are the best bet for a clean wave), and ride the Monday leftovers. After that, there’s a long stretch of quiet water. Rockpile is a consistent reef, so it does tend to bounce back, but for now, the second week is looking like a write-off for any decent waves.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Sun afternoon, min 19°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Mon morning, min 23°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
530 | 667 | 539 | 483 | 609 | 934 | 1106 | 1313 | 1376 | 1283 | 1134 | 953 | 754 | 594 | 423 | 298 | 267 | 342 | 443 | 416 | 411 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 3:16PM1.65m | 7:14AM1.05m | 4:51PM1.71m | 7:41AM1.19m | 6:06PM1.82m | 8:08AM1.33m | 7:05PM1.93m | 8:36AM1.45m | 7:55PM2.00m | 9:04AM1.57m | 8:40PM1.99m | 9:33AM1.66m | 9:23PM1.92m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:54PM0.12m | 10:35AM0.98m | 1:00AM-0.03m | 12:16PM0.87m | 1:48AM-0.16m | 1:19PM0.69m | 2:28AM-0.23m | 2:10PM0.51m | 3:03AM-0.24m | 2:54PM0.35m | 3:36AM-0.19m | 3:37PM0.23m | 4:06AM-0.08m | ||||||||
6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | |
— | 7:09 | — | — | 7:08 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:02 | — | — | 7:01 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 27 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
Feels °C | 21 | 20 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 27 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 14 | S 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 10 | SW 10 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
530 | 667 | 539 | 372 | 609 | 934 | 1106 | 1313 | 1376 | 1283 | 1134 | 953 | 754 | 594 | 423 | 298 | 188 | 163 | 443 | 416 | 411 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | S 14 | S 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WSW 10 | S 9 | SW 11 | W 12 | W 11 | W 11 | WNW 4 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 9 | SW 9 | WSW 10 |
22 | 132 | 209 | 483 | 416 | 42 | 61 | 31 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 80 | 111 | 129 | 211 | 267 | 342 | 114 | 59 | 133 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | W 5 | SW 11 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | WNW 9 | — | WNW 12 | — | — | SW 9 | SW 18 | SW 21 | W 10 | SSW 13 | SW 20 | SSW 12 | WNW 4 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | SSW 11 |
72 | 14 | 58 | 65 | 66 | 8 | — | 14 | — | — | 3 | 50 | 18 | 2 | 63 | 97 | 29 | 6 | 36 | 48 | 23 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WNW 5 | — | — | — | — | WNW 10 | NW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 6 | — | WNW 4 | WNW 3 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 |
— | 17 | — | — | — | — | 30 | 19 | 12 | 6 | 18 | — | 3 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 5 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 16 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 66 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 3 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Diego County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Rockpile Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Rockpile provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Rockpile can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Rockpile 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 (Rockpile) 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 Rockpile 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.
Rockpile is 10 km (6 miles) from San Diego. If you plan a vacation in San Diego County, look for hotels and other accommodation in San Diego. San Diego has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










