Rosarito Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s coming up for Rosarito.

Right off the bat, the next week and a half is a bit of a bummer. We’ve got a long stretch of poor to marginal surf starting now, running right through to the end of August. The swell is tiny, mostly under 2ft, with a light onshore breeze messing up the surface. It’s not going to be worth paddling out for most of that time. The wave energy is weak, mostly in the 150 to 300 range, so it’s flat and weak. There’s a brief pulse on the 26th of August where the swell jumps to 6ft from the S, with moderate energy (1627), but the wind is cross or cross-on, and the conditions are still just marginal. Not a standout, just a slight tease.

Now, the real action starts to build as we head into September. The morning of the 2nd of September is still small, 2ft from the SW, but look at the afternoon – the wind goes glassy. That’s a major positive. The swell is still small, but the surface will be clean. The wave energy is moderate (447). It’s not a big day, but it’s the first real chance for a smooth ride.

The standout window opens on Thursday the 3rd of September. The afternoon is the pick of the whole forecast. We’re looking at 4ft of swell from the S, period of 15 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell, long period, meaning good shape and energy. The wind goes glassy again, so it will be clean as a whistle. The combined energy is strong at 1069, and the forecast is calling it excellent for experienced surfers. Rosarito is a beach, reef, and rivermouth setup, and a long-period S swell can work well here, especially on the reef. This is the one to circle.

Then Friday the 4th of September keeps the run going. The afternoon shows 6ft from the S, again with a 15-second period, and glassy wind. The energy jumps to 1891, which is very strong. This is another excellent call for experienced surfers, with clean, powerful lines. The morning of the 5th of September pushes the swell up to 7ft from the S (energy 2055), but the wind is onshore. That’s still powerful but won’t be as clean.

Rosarito is consistent and exposed to the SW swell, which is the optimum direction for this spot. The water temp is around 67°F, which is about average for this time of year (anomaly of 1°F cooler). Crowds can be an issue here at times, so for the standout Thursday and Friday afternoons, expect company.

So, in short: the first week is mostly a washout. Don’t bother until the 3rd of September. That Thursday afternoon and Friday afternoon are your best bets – bigger swell, long period, glassy conditions, and strong energy. Go get some.

Rusty.

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