San Mateo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let's look at what's cookin' for the next couple of weeks.

First off, we got a point break that loves that long-period groundswell. The water's a balmy 80°, which is way warmer than normal for this time of year, so leave the wetsuit at home. This spot is inconsistent, so you can't just show up and expect perfection, but when it fires, it's a special wave.

The early part is a slow burn. Thursday the 6th is a total loss with messy cross-onshore wind and marginal conditions. Not worth paddling out.

Now, let's get to the good stuff. Friday morning, the 7th of August. This is the one. The wind goes glassy, dead flat calm, and we got a 3ft swell from the southwest with a 16-second period. That's a proper groundswell, and the combined energy is a solid 516 (moderate), so there's plenty of push. The swell direction is a perfect match for the optimum (NW), and with that glassy surface, the point will be a smooth, rippable wall. This is the session to aim for, but remember it's inconsistent, so you might be waiting a bit between sets. The crowd factor is "sometimes," so expect a few others out.

The rest of the forecast is a mixed bag. The afternoons get all chopped up by moderate cross-onshore winds, so mornings are your best bet. Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th are a wash with cross-shore chop and poor conditions. The waves are there, but the wind kills it.

Monday the 10th has a morning with a 3ft, 15-second swell and a light cross-shore breeze, which is okay but not great. The energy is solid at 503 (moderate), but the wind is just a little off.

Then we hit a long stretch of poor conditions from the 11th right through the 18th. The winds are either cross or cross-onshore, and the surf quality is down. The swell sizes stay small, between 2ft and 4ft, and the energy drops off, sometimes into the weak range (like 73 on the 12th). It's a bit of a dead zone.

Towards the end of the run, things start to get a little more interesting. The morning of the 15th of August shows a 5ft swell from the southwest with a 15-second period and a combined energy of 1132 (strong). That's a solid bump, but it's only a marginal call due to light cross-onshore winds. It's a promising long-range option, but it's over a week away, so keep an eye on it.

The 20th of August has another morning possibility with a 4ft, 14-second swell and a light cross-shore breeze, energy at 605 (moderate). Again, a promising morning session, but the wind needs to play ball.

So, to wrap it up: Friday the 7th morning is the clear winner. Get on it. The rest of the period is a lot of "maybe" with a lot of wind chop. The spot is inconsistent, so when it's on, it's on, but you'll have to be patient.

Rusty.

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