Rosarito Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Grab your board, but maybe keep your expectations in check for the next couple of weeks. The ocean’s got a pulse, but it’s a pretty sleepy one for a while here at Rosarito. We’re looking at a real lull to kick things off, with the first few days offering nothing but small, chopped-up leftovers. The water’s sitting at 71°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so that’s a small win if you’re just going for a paddle.

The first week is a write-off for any real surfing. From Saturday the 15th through to the 21st, it’s all cross-onshore breeze and small, weak swells. We’re talking chest-high at best, but the wind’s got it all chopped up and messy. The energy is weak, with readings bouncing around 688 down to 222. You’d be fighting a losing battle. One morning, the 19th, the wind goes light and onshore, but the swell is just too small to do anything with. It’s flat-ish and grovelly. Honestly, it’s more of a swim than a surf.

There’s a slight shift after that, but it’s not a savior. From the 22nd through the 26th, the swell stays small and pretty inconsistent, though Saturday the 23rd afternoon sees a pulse of short-period, cross-shore wind-swell mixed in, but the period is only 7 seconds, so it’s just a bumpy mess. The energy stays unimpressive, hovering in the low-to-mid 400s to 500s. The wind is lighter though, which is good, but the swell just isn't there. You’re still looking at ankle-to-waist high dribble.

Now, here’s the glimmer. It’s a long way off, but around the 28th and 29th, the ocean finally seems to wake up. The swell starts pushing a bit more consistently, with the combined energy jumping up into the 700s and 800s. That’s a significant jump from the weak readings we’ve been seeing. We’re still talking about a modest 3ft swell, but the period is holding at 16-17 seconds, which is proper groundswell. That means better shape, more push, and those long-period lines that wrap nicely around the points and river mouth here. The wind forecast is looking light and onshore, which is far better than the cross-shore junk we’ve been dealing with.

This isn't going to be a day for the beginners – at 3ft, it’s more for the guys who can pick a line and want some glide. The standouts are the mornings of the 29th and the 30th. Look for the south-west groundswell to hit Rosarito with clean, glassy conditions if the wind stays true. It’s a promising blip, but it's a week and a half away, so treat it as a “maybe” rather than a definite. The beach and reef sections should have some fun waves, but the rivermouth will be the place to be for the longer-period swell. It’s not going to be epic, but after two weeks of nothing, it’ll feel like a party.

Rusty

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