Rosarito Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for Rosarito over the next couple of weeks. Straight up, it’s not looking like a classic run. The first week is pretty much a write-off for any decent paddle-in setup, so patience is the name of the game.

We’re starting off this Sunday the 5th and right through the following week, it’s mostly cross-on winds and choppy conditions. That southwest groundswell is there, with some long-period energy around 16 to 18 seconds and moderate combined energy values (around 427 to 911), but the wind is just messing it up for us. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing weird going on there.

For the first few days – Sunday the 5th through Tuesday the 7th – you’re looking at knee-high to maybe waist-high surf at best, but the wind is cross-on and it’s choppy. It’s a pass. Wednesday the 8th has a little improvement, with some clean-ish conditions and light onshore wind, and the swell bumps up slightly – maybe 3ft to 4ft – but it’s still marginal and the period drops a bit to 16 seconds. Not worth getting excited about.

From Thursday the 9th up to the middle of the month, the swell drops off in energy, and the combined energy values are down around 300 to 500. The wind stays messy or cross-shore and the waves stay small and weak. There’s a brief appearance of a very short-period 8-second windswell on the 14th, but that’s a no-go for a good ride.

The first real standout doesn’t arrive until Saturday the 18th of July. Finally, the conditions line up. We’ve got a clean, cross-offshore wind from the south at 16 mph, which is going to make for the cleanest surf we’ve seen in a while. The swell is still a modest 2ft from the southwest, with an excellent 18-second period and a combined energy of 589. That’s proper groundswell – long lines and power, but Rosarito is a beach, reef and rivermouth setup, so that long period might make it a bit too straight for the beach peaks. The rivermouth and reef could hold it better. The wind is the big positive here, and it’s the best session in the whole outlook. Crowds are possible here, so get down early.

Sunday the 19th and Monday the 20th see the swell picking up a little in energy (600+) with clean conditions, but the wind is light and onshore, so it’ll be small and soft again. Not a patch on Saturday.

So, to sum it up: there’s a long, quiet gap until Saturday the 18th. That’s your one true standout. If you’re after a paddle, that’s the day to circle. Everything before that is a waiting game.

Rusty

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