San Clemente State Park Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up at San Clemente State Park.

Right off the bat, it’s gonna be a bit of a slow burn. The water is sitting at 74° which is *much warmer than normal* for this time of year – that’s a solid 7° above average, so it’s a very unusual thing. The first few days are a bit of a write-off for a proper session. Wednesday the 22nd has some waist-high, 3ft swell from the SSW, but a cross-onshore wind from the west at 9 mph is just keeping it messy and choppy. The combined energy is moderate (553), but it’s just not clean enough to get excited about. Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th look a little better on paper with a bit more size and some lighter winds, but the surf quality is still rated as marginal, and the southerly direction isn't a perfect match for the break's optimum. Thursday morning might get a little cleaner with the wind turning light and offshore from the WSW, bumping the swell up to 4ft, but it’s nothing to write home about.

The weekend (Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th) is a mixed bag. Saturday morning has a 3ft SW swell with a long period of 21 seconds and some light cross-onshore wind. The energy is moderate (818), but that long period tends to make things a bit too straight at a beach break. Sunday really gets knocked around by a 12 mph southerly wind, making it look more like a kite-surfing day than a paddle day.

Now, the real standout looks like it’s shaping up for Tuesday, July 28th. The morning session is the pick of the whole forecast. We’re looking at a 5ft swell from the SSW, and the wind is light and offshore from the SW. The combined energy is strong (1156), meaning there’s some proper power behind it. The period is 17 seconds, so it’s a solid groundswell that should have some good shape. This is the one to circle on the calendar. Be aware that crowds are *sometimes* an issue here, so getting out early for that Tuesday morning glass-off will be the move.

After that, the swell chills out a bit, but it’s not done. The next big pulse arrives on Saturday, August 1st. That morning, the swell jumps up to 6ft from the S with a period of 14 seconds, and the wind is light offshore. The energy is very strong (1302). This is getting into the "big for beginners" category – over 5ft, so it's one for the guys who know what they're doing. The afternoon gets a bit bigger at 7ft, but the wind swings cross-on, so the morning window is the one to aim for. Long range, so keep an eye on it, but it’s a promising setup.

The final week from the 3rd of August onward drops right off. The swell shrinks, the wind gets more cross-on, and it goes flat. That’s a solid 4 to 5 days of nothing much on offer, so if you’re itching for a wave, you’ll want to be in the water on that Tuesday the 28th or the Saturday August 1st morning.

Rusty.

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