San Mateo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the forecast for our little stretch of coast.

Alright, let’s be straight with you—this isn’t a week to get overly excited. We’ve got a real slow start and a whole lot of days where the ocean just isn’t playing ball. For the first week or so, you’re looking at a lot of small, weak swell with messy, cross-onshore winds. The good news is that there are a couple of brief windows that might be worth a paddle if you’re desperate.

The first real glimmer comes on Thursday morning, the 13th of August. San Mateo is showing a tiny 2ft swell from the SW, but the wind goes completely glassy. That’s the big one – zero wind. It’s going to be clean as a whistle. The swell period is a long 16 seconds, which means proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy is moderate at 395. It’s small, and it’s an inconsistent spot, so you’ll be waiting for sets, but if you want a smooth, clean surf, that’s your window.

Friday morning the 14th picks up a bit more size with 4ft from the SW and a 17-second period. The combined energy jumps to a strong 1074, so there’s definitely some push behind it. However, the wind is a moderate cross-shore, creating a bit of chop, and the forecast calls it marginal. It’s not perfect, but it’s the biggest, most powerful swell we’ll see for a while. For a more experienced surfer, that Friday morning might be the most interesting session of the whole outlook.

After that, it’s a long stretch of mediocrity. The wind stays onshore or cross-onshore, the swell drops back under 3ft, and the conditions are mostly poor. There’s a tiny bump on the morning of Tuesday the 18th with 4ft from the SW and a light breeze, but it’s still just marginal. Honestly, from Friday afternoon onward, the ocean looks pretty flat and uninviting for a paddle.

For the second week, from the 19th onwards, it gets even quieter. There’s a slight uptick on Thursday the 27th with 4ft from the SW and moderate energy (633), but the cross-onshore wind will mess it up. That’s too far out to bank on, anyway.

So, to sum it up: the standout is Thursday morning, 13th August, for the glassy, clean conditions even though it’s tiny. The other one to have on your radar is Friday morning, 14th August, for the most power and size, but expect some chop. The rest is a write-off, I’m afraid.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on the sky.

Rusty.

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