San Mateo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for San Mateo.

Overall, the next 16 days have a bit of a slow start, but the real standout is Monday morning, 27 July. That’s the one to circle. There’s a solid 4ft SW groundswell rolling in with a long 18-second period—that’s proper energy, a real deep-water pulse. The combined energy is sitting at 1142 (moderate to strong), and with a light S breeze making it clean, it’s going to be a beautiful morning. The swell direction (SW) is a little off the optimum NW, but with that quality and period, the point at San Mateo should still handle it well. That’s a session for the experienced crew—4ft with that punch is not beginner territory. Crowds are something to keep in mind here; this spot can get busy.

The week leading into it is pretty average. Saturday 25 July and Sunday 26 July are both blown out, with cross and cross-onshore winds, and the scores are poor. You’re looking at choppy, messy conditions. The swell is there (3ft–4ft, long period 17–19 seconds) but the wind ruins it. The combined energy is moderate (699–878). Not worth paddling out.

Monday afternoon the 27th turns onshore, so it’s a morning-only deal. Tuesday 28 July morning has a bigger 5ft SW swell at 16 seconds, and combined energy hits 1256 (strong), but the wind is cross and the conditions are marginal. It’s a heavy wave for experts only at that size, and the texture won’t be perfect. Wednesday 29 July and Thursday 30 July see the swell dropping quickly (5ft down to 4ft) with cross-onshore winds in the afternoons. The energy drops from 845 to 407. Mostly poor to marginal.

Friday 31 July stays small and messy. Then we get a little gem on Saturday 1 August morning: clean, glassy conditions with 3ft of SW swell, 12-second period—small but the glassy wind and light energy (233) make it a fun little window for a longboard or a fish. The afternoon turns onshore again.

The first week of August is quiet. Sunday 2 August to Tuesday 4 August has only tiny swell (2ft–3ft) and mostly cross or cross-onshore winds. Energy is low (144–482). Not much happening. Wednesday 5 August has a tiny 1ft, 17-second swell, but it’s weak and cross-shore. Thursday 6 August morning sees a small bump to 4ft, 13-second SW, with light cross-shore wind and marginal conditions. The energy is moderate (537). Friday 7 August and Saturday 8 August stay small and marginal, with combined energy around 269–570.

There’s a bit of a pulse brewing for Sunday 9 August morning: 5ft SW swell, 17-second period, combined energy of 1164 (strong). That’s a decent swell, but the wind is moderate cross-shore, so it’s going to be a bit bumpy. Still, that’s worth keeping an eye on as a possible late option if the wind shifts.

So, the best on offer is clear: Monday 27 July morning. It’s a standout. The Saturday 1 August morning glass-off is a nice little bonus for the small-wave crew. The Sunday 9 August pulse is promising but less certain at this range.

Rusty.

Read more