Rosarito Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s be straight – the next 16 days are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. The swell is tiny, the wind is mostly on it or cross-on it, and the conditions are just not cooperating. We’ll have to weather a long stretch of poor surf before anything even gets close to being worth a look.

The first bit of real hope comes on August 13th, Thursday morning. Even then, it’s only a marginal call. The ocean just doesn’t want to line up.

Let’s break it down. The only spot on the cards is Rosarito, a beach, reef, and rivermouth setup that’s exposed to the SW. It’s a consistent beginner-friendly wave, but the crowds can show up sometimes.

The whole period is plagued by onshore and cross-onshore winds, mostly from the W and NW at 9 – 12 mph. That’s going to keep the surface bumpy and messy. The combined swell energy is mostly moderate, ranging from 283 to 693, but the wind is just ruining it.

The one slight glimmer is the morning of Thursday the 13th. We’ve got a tiny 2 ft swell from the SW with a solid 16-second period – that’s long enough to have some real push, but it’s still small. The wind is light, only 6 mph from the W and onshore. It’s still just “marginal,” but because it’s the closest thing to clean all week, I’d have to call it the best on offer. Don’t expect much, but you might catch a few ankle-biters with some shape.

After that, it’s right back to the choppy, poor surf through the 14th, 15th, and into the week. The swell stays under 4 ft, and the cross-onshore wind keeps it ugly.

There is a second, more tentative standout on Wednesday August 19th. The wind is light, only 6 mph from the SW but cross-onshore, creating small wind ripples. It’s still only a marginal forecast. The swell is 3–3 ft from the SW/SSW with a 16-second period, offering long lines but tiny. If you’re desperate and the wind drops glassy, you might find a fun little wave, but don’t hold your breath.

For the rest of the run, from the 21st onward, it’s all poor. The swell drops to nothing (1 ft–2 ft) with short period, and the wind stays on it. Not worth paddling out.

Overall, the water temperature is 73°F at the start, which is 5°F warmer than usual – it’s much warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you’ll be comfortable while you’re waiting for a clean wave.

Hang in there. It’s a rough stretch, but it can’t stay this way forever.

Rusty.

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