San Mateo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright crew, Rusty here. Let’s talk about San Mateo for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s a rough patch. The first few days are a struggle. We’ve got a solid groundswell pushing through from the southwest, with periods hanging around 16 to 18 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate to strong (1155). But the problem is that this swell is coming from the wrong direction for the San Mateo point. It’s an exposed spot that needs it from the NW, and this SW angle is just not doing us any favours.

The water is a standout feature right now – it’s running at 80°F, which is a massive 8° warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s very unusual, so you won’t need a thick wetsuit, that’s for sure.

Looking at the specifics, the first recommendation is for Sunday morning, 26 July. There’s a 4ft SW swell, long period of 17 seconds and a light cross breeze. The energy is moderate (931). It’s not great, but it’s the most surfable start we’ve got. The afternoon goes to pot with a moderate cross-chop, so grab the early if you’re keen.

Monday morning, 27 July, sees a little more size at 4ft, and the period actually stretches to 18 seconds. The energy is up to 1155, which is solid. But the wind is still crossing, and the direction is all wrong. It’s a better look than the weekend, but still far from perfect.

Now, the closest thing to a standout in this whole outlook is Wednesday morning, 29 July. The swell is 5ft from the SW, period 15 seconds, and the wind turns light and cross-offshore from the south. That’s clean. The energy is 845 – moderate – and the conditions are described as clean. For this spot, in this window, that’s your best bet. It’s inconsistent though, so don’t expect a constant barrage, but when the sets come through, they’ll have some shape.

After that, it’s a long, slow fade. From Thursday, 30 July, the swell drops steadily. We’re looking at 4ft then 3ft, then dropping to 2ft by the 1st of August. The period shortens, the energy drops to weak (214), and the wind gets messy. The afternoons are all blown out. There’s a gap of several days with no real recommendations – from Thursday afternoon right through to the morning of Wednesday, 5 August, where a tiny 3ft, 15-second period swell pops up, but the energy is only 323 and the wind is cross. It’s marginal at best.

The second week is slim pickings. A few mornings with 3ft to 4ft swells, but the period drops and the wind is always cross or onshore. The energy stays weak to moderate, but never gets back to that Wednesday morning level. There’s nothing to get excited about here.

So, if you’re set on paddling out, Wednesday morning, 29 July, is the time. Clean conditions, a bit of size, and that long period groundswell will wrap in with some power. It’s not a classic, but it’s the best we’ve got.

Rusty.

Read more