San Mateo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for San Mateo. This is a classic point break, exposed to the north-west swell, but it’s an inconsistent wave that needs the right alignment. The coming week or so is a bit of a mixed bag, but there are a couple of windows worth getting excited about. The water temp is sitting right around average for the time of year, nothing unusual there.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start. Monday the 20th is a write-off with small, weak swell and funky winds, so don’t bother paddling out. Tuesday morning the 21st, however, is a real tease. The swell is still small at about 3ft from the SW, but the wind goes glassy – dead calm – and the waves are clean. The combined energy is moderate (424), and while it’s not big, that glassy surface is a rare treat. If you’re a longboarder or just want to cruise, Tuesday morning is your best early call.

Then we run into a bit of a drought. The middle of the week is mostly small, onshore, and messy. Not worth your time. There’s a bit of a pulse building over the weekend, but the winds are cross or cross-on, so the quality is average at best.

Now, hold onto your board. The real standout is Sunday morning the 26th of July. The wind is dead calm again – glassy, perfect conditions. The swell is a solid 4ft from the SW, with a long period of 17 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy (875), and for a point break like San Mateo, that long period is a dream. It’ll wrap in nicely, with clean faces and those long, lined-up waves. This is the morning to set your alarm. The crowd factor is a “sometimes” here, so expect a few others out, but it’s worth it.

Another one to keep an eye on is Monday morning the 27th. The swell jumps up to 5ft from the SW, with a period of 18 seconds. That’s a lot of energy (1513), and it’s clean with a light cross-offshore breeze. However, 5ft is getting into the “not for beginners” zone, and the period is very long, which can make the wave a bit straight and fast on a point. For the experienced crew, this is a proper session. For the groms, maybe sit this one out.

The following week, things quieten down again. The week of the 28th onwards is mostly smaller, with messy winds. The only other real highlight is Wednesday morning the 29th of July. The wind is light cross-offshore, clean, and the swell is a manageable 5ft from the SW with a 15-second period (849 energy). It’s a solid, fun morning, but not as epic as the Sunday before.

After that, we’re into a long stretch of poor or marginal conditions. The forecast drops off significantly by the start of August. The 31st of July and the 1st of August are pretty much a write-off. You’ll see a small bump again on the 2nd of August (Sunday morning) with a tiny 2ft SW swell, but it’s clean with a light offshore. That’s more of a beginner-friendly paddle than a real session.

So, to wrap it up: the best of the best is Sunday morning the 26th of July. Glassy, head-high, long-period groundswell. Don’t miss it. The Monday morning the 27th is a close second for the experienced surfers looking for more power. The rest of the window is a waiting game.

Rusty.

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