San Mateo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what we've got for San Mateo over the next couple of weeks. It's not going to be easy, that's for sure, but there are a few moments to get excited about if you're patient.

Right from the start, Friday the 10th through to the morning of Sunday the 13th is a real mixed bag. The swell is there, hovering around 3ft to 4ft from the southwest, and there's some decent energy in the water (combined energy around 260 to 677), but the wind is just ruining it. It’s consistently cross or cross-onshore, making things choppy and messy. It’s pretty much a write-off for a decent paddle.

Then, on Monday morning the 13th, we get a taste of what could be. The wind drops to a glassy calm, absolutely dead flat. The swell drops a touch to 3ft but with that 13-second period, the waves will have some shape. It's the best we’ve seen so far, but it's a short window before the afternoon onshore wind kicks back in. This is the true standout.

After that, we hit a real lull. From Tuesday the 14th all the way through the rest of the week and into the next, it’s slim pickings. The swell energy drops significantly, often down to 63 or a few hundred, and the wind stays mostly onshore or cross. The conditions just aren't there. We’re looking at a solid week of poor to marginal surf.

Now, look ahead to the morning of Tuesday the 21st of July. This is the second standout. The swell bumps back up to 4ft from the southwest with a clean, light cross-offshore breeze. The combined energy is pumping at 681, which is strong and will give the waves some proper grunt. The period is a nice 14 seconds, so you're looking at solid, lined-up groundswell. This is the one to mark on your calendar. A morning session here will be worth the wait.

For the following days, the swell fades out again, with small signals from the west-northwest on the 23rd and 24th, but the wind stays messy.

San Mateo is a point break, and it can be inconsistent, so don't get your hopes up for a long run of good days. The one to really chase is that morning of Tuesday the 21st. Glassy winds, solid southwest swell, and plenty of energy – that’s the session for the committed surfer.

Rusty.

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