San Mateo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for San Mateo over the next couple of weeks.

First off, I gotta be straight with you. The next few days are looking bleak. We're talking a real slow start, with nothing worth paddling out for from Sunday the 23rd right through until the end of the week. The swell is tiny, mostly around 1 ft to 2 ft, and the wind is cross or cross-on, just messing up what little bump there is. The energy is weak (102 to 306), and it's just not worth getting wet. You'd be better off waiting.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn't arrive until Friday the 28th. The morning shows a bit of life with a 3 ft SW swell, a period of 18 seconds, and an onshore wind that's a touch light. The energy jumps up to 636 (moderate), and while it's still a bit marginal, it's the first sign the ocean is waking up. The wind is better, but it's not clean yet.

Now, here's where it gets interesting. The standout window is from Saturday the 29th through to Sunday the 30th. The swell builds to 5 ft on Saturday morning, from the SW with a 15-second period, giving us a solid 1270 (strong) energy. That's proper groundswell energy. The wind is cross, not ideal, but manageable. It's pushing into the advanced territory though, so this isn't for the groms.

But the real highlight, the one that's got my heart thumping, is Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th of September. Thursday morning sees a 5 ft SW swell, cranking at 19 seconds – that's a beautiful, long-period groundswell. The energy is a whopping 1616 (very strong). The wind is a gentle cross-shore, which will keep it relatively clean. Friday morning pushes it up to 6 ft, still with a 16-second period and 2044 (very strong) energy, with a light cross-shore wind. This is the best on offer. At 6 ft, it's solid for experienced surfers, and with that long period, it'll be packing a punch. The water temperature is a notable 80°F, which is much warmer than usual for this time of year, so you might not need the thickest wetsuit.

Remember, San Mateo is a point break that's inconsistent and can get crowded sometimes. It's exposed to the NW, but the best swell is coming from the SW, so it's not the perfect match on direction, but the size and quality of the swell should make up for it. The long period will mean the waves have real shape, but at a point break, those long gaps between sets will make paddling out a bit easier.

After that, the surf drops off again into the second week. The 5th and 6th of September still have some decent size, 5 ft to 6 ft, but the wind turns more cross-on and choppy, so it's not as clean. Still, for a morning session, it could be worth a look if you're desperate.

So, to sum it up: a slow start, but the end of the first week and the start of the second week are where it's at. Keep your eyes on Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th of September – that's your best bet.

Rusty out.

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