Rockpile Surf Break

Lat Long: 32.81° N 117.27° W

Rockpile Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 10 am 21 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Rockpile sea temperature is
22.5° C
3.0° 

Rockpile surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Rockpile 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: Saturday 25 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 21s period, SW swell with 880 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 15s 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 Tuesday (Jul 21) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 3s is also forecast. 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 1.0m 21s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Tue 21st Jul)3.5ft (1.1m) 15s
Best Surf 5AM (Sat 25th Jul)3.5ft (1.0m) 21s
Most Powerful 5AM (Sat 25th Jul)3.5ft (1.0m) 21s

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 on the table for the next couple of weeks.

Alright, straight up, the outlook from now through the 16-day window is a bit of a grind. We get some small pulses of swell, but the quality is a constant battle with the wind and shifting conditions. There's no massive, clean swell event that’s going to have everyone charging. The best of it is likely going to be early on, but we have to wade through a lot of "iffy" surf to get there.

The main spot on the radar is Rockpile. It's a consistent reef break that works on a SW swell, which is our main direction for the period. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, but don’t let that fool you – when it’s on, it can be fun. The water is a balmy 73°F, which is much warmer than usual for this time of year, a real treat if you’re paddling out.

We kick things off on Tuesday, the 21st of July. Morning sees a light cross-on breeze from the WSW at 6 mph, with a 4 ft SW groundswell rolling in at a very long 16 seconds. That’s a good-looking swell period, but the cross-on wind is a bit of a spoiler, leaving the surface with small wind ripples. It's marginal, but it’s the most promising we've got early on.

Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd look worse. The wind picks up on Wednesday (12 mph from the WNW), and the swell drops to 3 ft. The surface gets a cross-chop, and it’s a write-off. Thursday is very similar, just a bit smaller. Friday the 24th through Sunday the 27th actually sees a shift to light, clean offshore winds (SW at 6 mph), but the swell stays small, sitting around 2 ft to 3 ft. The combined energy is moderate, hitting peaks around 929 (moderate) on the Sunday morning, but the wave comment for the whole period is “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” There’s just not enough juice to get excited about, even with clean conditions.

Now, here’s the standout, and it’s a strange one because the conditions are still marginal. Starting Friday the 31st of July into the first weekend of August, we get a bump in size. Friday morning has a 5 ft SSW swell with light offshore winds (WSW at 6 mph). That’s the best combination of size and clean wind we see for the whole run. The combined energy is strong at 910 (strong wave energy). It’s still a bit marginal overall, but the Friday morning is the one session you should be aiming for. The afternoons get a bit choppy again, and the period drops, but that morning window is the pick.

After that, it fades fast. Saturday the 1st of August drops to 3 ft with poor 10-second period windswell, and Sunday the 2nd is back to ankle-biters. From then on, we get a solid gap of around 4 to 5 days, from Sunday the 2nd through to Wednesday the 5th of August, where the surf is consistently small, windy, or both. Nothing worth paddling for.

So, to sum it up: don't hold your breath. The only true standout is Friday the 31st of July, early morning at Rockpile with a clean 5 ft SSW swell. Everything else is a marginal, wait-and-see game. The good weather might make it a nice day at the beach, but for surfing, it's a lean stretch.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Tue morning, min 20°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sun morning, min 20°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Monday
27
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
2
0
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
3
2
2
1
0
2
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.1
SW
16
0.9
SW
15
1.1
SW
15
0.9
SW
15
0.9
SW
14
1.3
SSW
13
1.1
SSW
12
1
SSW
13
0.7
SW
13
0.7
SW
24
0.5
SW
24
0.8
SW
21
0.8
SW
21
0.8
SW
21
1
SW
19
1
SW
19
1
SW
18
1
SW
18
1.1
SW
18
0.9
SW
16
1.1
SW
17
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
532
375
492
355
346
586
355
317
172
541
271
647
548
513
723
716
609
602
795
437
633
Wind (km/h)
10
WSW
20
WNW
15
NW
20
WNW
20
WNW
5
W
10
WSW
15
WNW
5
WSW
10
SW
10
SW
5
SW
10
SW
15
SSW
0
N
10
SSW
10
WSW
15
S
20
SSW
10
SSW
10
SSW
Wind State
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
on
on
on
glassy
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
High Tide
3:54PM1.53m
5:38AM0.87m
4:51PM1.55m
7:42AM0.93m
5:47PM1.60m
8:38AM1.01m
6:37PM1.66m
9:08AM1.08m
7:21PM1.73m
9:30AM1.13m
7:59PM1.80m
9:51AM1.17m
8:34PM1.86m
Low Tide
9:05AM0.58m
11:50PM0.41m
9:57AM0.75m
1:04AM0.27m
11:10AM0.85m
1:56AM0.13m
12:24PM0.88m
2:35AM0.03m
1:20PM0.86m
3:08AM-0.05m
2:03PM0.80m
3:38AM-0.11m
2:40PM0.74m
4:06AM-0.16m
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:54
5:54
5:56
5:56
5:56
5:58
5:58
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:54
7:53
7:53
7:52
7:52
7:52
7:51
 mm
Temp °C
23
23
22
22
21
21
22
23
22
22
22
21
22
22
21
23
23
22
21
22
22
Feels °C
24
22
22
22
20
21
23
23
23
23
22
22
23
22
22
24
23
23
21
21
24
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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