Rosarito Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s on the menu for the Rosarito area over the next couple of weeks. Straight up, this is a tricky forecast. The water is sitting at 71°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice little bonus if you’re suiting up.

We’ve got a solid run of SW groundswell energy coming through, but the problem is the wind. For the first week, it’s mostly cross-on or choppy, which is going to spoil a lot of what could be good waves. The swell builds nicely through the weekend, with combined energy hitting strong territory (1090 to 1577), but the wind just doesn't cooperate. The best compromise might be Saturday morning, September 5th at Rosarito. The swell is around 4 ft from the SW with a long 16-second period, and the wind is light and straight onshore, which is about as clean as it gets here in this window. The energy is strong (1090), so there will be some push, but it’s not going to be perfect. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, so the size is manageable, but don’t expect barrels.

After that, the wind stays stubborn. Sunday the 6th has a bigger 7 ft SSW swell, but it’s cross-shore and cross-on with a moderate breeze, making it choppy and messy. That’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a great paddle session. The size is also pushing into the "too big for beginners" range, and with the chop, it’s only really for the experienced guys who don’t mind a fight.

The second week is a real bummer. From Monday the 8th onwards, the swell drops steadily and the wind stays cross-on. By the middle of the week (Sept 11th-14th), we’re looking at tiny waves around 2 ft to 3 ft, with weak energy (271 to 613). The 17th and 18th see a tiny uptick in energy (681) from a very long 20-22 second period SW swell, but the heights are still only 2-3 ft. That long period stuff can be weird at a beach setup – it might just close out or be too straight.

So, to be straight with you: the standouts are thin. The only real window to get a few rides is Saturday morning, September 5th. It’s not world-class, but it’s the cleanest the waves will be. After that, expect a solid week of flat, blown-out conditions. The surf just doesn’t have the juice or the wind to give us much else. It’s a tough outlook, but that’s how it goes sometimes.

- Rusty

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