San Clemente State Park Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s coming our way for San Clemente State Park over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you – the start is real slow, but there’s a little glimmer of hope tucked away in the long range.

Right off the bat, Saturday July 4th is nothing to write home about. We’ve got some weak, small waves around 3 ft from the SSW with a moderate energy level (393). The morning crosswind is light, but it’s just not enough push to make anything decent. That combo of a light cross-shore and small ripples just doesn't get it done. The water temp is sitting at 69° which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – a nice bonus if you’re just floating around, but not making the surf any better.

The whole first week is a bit of a write-off, honestly. Sunday and Monday are similar story – tiny swell, cross-onshore breezes, and poor conditions. Tuesday the 7th and Wednesday the 8th see the swell bump up a little, hitting 4 ft from the SSW, and the combined energy climbs into the moderate-to-strong range (855 to 905). Periods are long, around 16 to 18 seconds, so there’s some genuine groundswell in the water. But the wind stays cross-on or onshore, which keeps it messy. For a beginner spot, that 4 ft swell is doable, but the choppy conditions ruin it. It’s marginal at best.

Thursday the 9th to the 12th of July we drop back down to 3 ft to 3 ft and the energy fades back to the 300s and 400s. Winds stay on the wrong side of the compass. We’re looking at a solid 5 to 6 day stretch of nothing worth paddling out for.

Then we hit a bit of a lull. The middle of the month (13th to the 16th of July) is really tiny – 1 ft to 2 ft – and the period is decent but the size is just too small. Strong cross-onshore winds on the 13th won’t help.

Here’s the standout. Keep your eye on Saturday July 18th. The morning starts marginal with a light 3 ft from the SW, but by the afternoon, the wind shifts to a light cross-offshore from the north. That’ll clean things right up. It’s still only 3 ft, with a 17-second period, so it’s long-period groundswell. That long period means the waves will have good shape and energy, but might be a bit too straight for this beach break unless you find a good bank. The combined energy is moderate (448). The report even says “expect good surf conditions.” For this stretch, that’s the pick of the litter. It’s a long-range call, so don’t book the day off work yet, but it’s the only one that looks genuinely promising.

After that, Sunday July 19th is back to poor with a moderate breeze ruining it.

So, bottom line: we’ve got a long dry spell for the first 12 days or so. The 18th of July is the one to hope for. The conditions should be clean, but don’t expect anything big. For a beginner spot, the 3 ft is perfect – just be aware the long period might make the waves a little tricky.

Rusty.

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