San Clemente State Park Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu over the next couple of weeks for San Clemente State Park.

Right out of the gate, I gotta be straight with you: it’s a slow start. The first few days have some small waves, but the quality is just not there. The water temp is running about 6° above average for the time of year – that’s a big departure, feels like we’re in a bath. Not a bad thing for a long session in boardies.

Friday August 28th is the first chance to paddle out. It’s small – around 3ft – from the SSW with a very long 17-second period, meaning it’s a proper groundswell but lacking push. The combined energy is moderate at 515. That long period could make it a bit crumbly and too straight for this beach setup, but you get long waits between sets. The light offshore breeze in the morning will keep the surface clean, making it a sneaky option for a beginner to get some practice on a longboard. It’s not going to get your heart racing though.

Saturday August 29th bumps up to 4ft but the wind turns cross-on, and the period drops. It’s a step backwards in quality – choppy and messy. This theme pretty much continues right through to the end of the first week. There’s little to get excited about. The swell sits between 2ft and 4ft, mostly SSW, with energy in the moderate range (247 to 909). The winds insist on cross-on or onshore, killing the shape. Honestly, it’s all marginal at best.

Around Thursday September 3rd, we see a slight pulse, with swell climbing to 4ft and energy hitting 979 and 848, but it’s still plagued by cross-on winds. Not a standout.

The first real standout comes in the second week, and it’s a bit of a distant promise. On Saturday September 12th, we’ve got 5ft of S swell pulsing in with 13-second period. The wave energy is strong, reading 941. It’s a solid size – getting near the limit for beginners – and the conditions look cleaner with a gentle breeze, though it's cross-on. If the wind swings a bit more offshore before that day, it could be the pick of the entire window. But it’s almost two weeks out, so treat it as a promising one to keep an eye on.

Honestly, the outlook is pretty flat for most of the period with a lot of small, choppy days. Friday September 11th and Saturday September 12th are the ones to circle on the calendar. The Friday late session shows 5ft S swell with strong energy (1042). The Saturday morning has the biggest size at 5ft.

Crowds at San Clemente State Park can be a factor sometimes, so if that swell arrives with good conditions, expect company.

Alright, that’s the story. Keep it salty.
- Rusty

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