San Mateo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s cooking at San Mateo over the next couple of weeks.

First up, the good news. We’ve got a couple of killer windows. The overall pattern is a bit of a mess with a lot of cross-shore chop, but there are two mornings that will have you stoked. The water is sitting at a very warm 80° with a massive anomaly of 5°, so it’s much warmer than normal for this time of year – you can leave the thick suit at home.

The first call is Friday morning, August 7th. San Mateo is a point break, exposed to the NW swell, and the optimum direction is NW. We’re seeing a 3ft SW groundswell with a long period of 16 seconds, pushing a combined swell energy of 516 (moderate). The wind is glassy out of the SSW at just 3 mph. That means clean, peeling lines. The water is glassy, the waves are small but with that period, it’s going to be a joy for an advanced surfer. Don’t expect a crowd every time, but it says “sometimes” so keep an eye out for a few others if you’re after a quiet session.

The real standout, though, is Saturday morning, August 15th. This is the one to circle. The swell picks up to 5ft from the SW, still a solid 15-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 1026 (strong). The wind is glassy again – 3 mph from the SSW. That’s an excellent setup for experienced surfers. The waves will have plenty of push and shape, but at 5ft, it’s getting into the zone where beginners might find it a bit much. It’s a point break, so that long period shouldn’t be an issue – it’ll wrap in nicely.

Now for the rest of the window. The other mornings are a bit of a letdown. The wind stays cross or cross-onshore, and the swell is either small or junky. There’s a solid gap from Friday afternoon all the way through to Thursday morning, August 13th, where conditions are mostly poor or marginal. Thursday morning, August 13th, does have a glassy start with 2ft and 16-second period, but the energy is weaker (397) and it’s a backup, not a showstopper. The second week (from August 17th onwards) is pretty grim – mostly cross-onshore, choppy, with marginal or poor surf. The swell energy stays moderate (300-600 range), but the wind kills it.

Bottom line: Friday morning, August 7th is a solid, clean session, but Saturday morning, August 15th is the best on offer – bigger swell, glassy wind, and strong energy. Get it while it’s good.

Rusty.

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