San Mateo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Gather 'round, folks. Rusty here. We've got a bit of a mixed bag for the next couple of weeks at San Mateo. This is a classic point break, and it's exposed to the NW, but the swell we're seeing is coming from the SW – not its ideal direction. That's gonna be a big factor in how things shape up. The wait for the goods is gonna be a real test of patience.

The first few days are a write-off. Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th are offering tiny, weak swells, barely 1 foot to 3 feet, with a lot of cross-shore wind. It's just not worth paddling out for. Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st morning see a little bump in energy, with the swell hitting 3 feet on Tuesday morning and a nice clean, cross-offshore breeze from the south. The combined energy gets up to 458 (moderate), but the swell period is a short 13 seconds, so it's not gonna have much punch. Still, it's the best we've seen so far, but it's a very small window.

After that, we sink back into a solid week of mediocrity. From the 22nd through the 25th, it's all cross-shore and onshore winds, with choppy, messy conditions. The swell is up and down, but the wind just ruins it. The crowd situation at San Mateo can be "sometimes" busy, but with this quality, it'll be empty.

Now, hold on to your leashes, because the end of the run is where it gets interesting. The morning of Sunday the 26th of July is looking like a proper standout. We're getting a 4 feet SW groundswell with a solid 18-second period, and the combined energy is a beefy 1041 (strong). The wind is a clean, cross-offshore breeze from the south. That's a recipe for some long, wrapping lines down that point. The size is still manageable for a good range of surfers, but that long period (18 seconds) means it's packing a serious punch. The sets will be more spaced out, making the paddle out easier, but the waves will be fast and powerful – best for experienced surfers. This is your one to circle on the calendar.

The following week gets a bit chunky, but the conditions are a bit of a gamble. The morning of the 29th of July shows a 6 feet SW swell, but that's getting close to expert-only territory, especially with a 15-second period. The wind is light, but it's cross-shore. The real gem might be the morning of Thursday the 30th of July. The swell drops to a more manageable 4 feet from the SW, the period is 14 seconds, and the wind is completely glassy. The combined energy is a moderate 614, but that glassy surface will make for some silky-smooth rides. It's a bit of a "wait and see" for that one, but it has real potential.

The final days tail off into small, marginal surf again. So, the long and short of it: be patient through the first week. The real action is in the last week of July, with the morning of the 26th being the absolute best bet for clean, powerful point surf. Make sure you're on it.

Rusty.

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