San Onofre Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with the long-range look for our local zone. Let's get into it.

Right off the bat, the first week and a half is pretty flat and messy. We've got small swell from the 15th of August right through to the morning of the 23rd, but honestly, the wind is onshore or cross-onshore for most of it, and the wave heights are barely crawling. It’s not worth getting wet—you'll be fighting chop for nothing. This is a solid stretch of dud days, so don't bother.

The first real glimmer of hope shows up on Sunday afternoon the 23rd of August at San Onofre (San Onofre). It’s tiny, only 2ft of swell from the SW, but here’s the thing: the wind goes totally glassy. For a spot like San Onofre, which is a consistent beginner-friendly beach and point setup that's exposed to the SW, that glassy window is a rare treat. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so you won't need a thick suit. The combined wave energy is weak (281), so it'll be small and clean, perfect for a longboard or a foamie. Keep in mind, this spot does draw a crowd often, so a Sunday afternoon might have a few heads, but with these tiny conditions, the more serious crew will be elsewhere.

The real standout, the one you need to circle on the calendar, comes on Tuesday the 25th of August. Swell jumps up to 4ft from the S in the morning, with a period of 15 seconds. That's proper long-period groundswell. The combined energy bumps up to a solid moderate 1066. Winds are light and cross-onshore from the SW, which at San Onofre, with that SSW exposure, will keep things reasonably clean. The condition note does say "marginal surf forecast or questionable tide", so you’ll need to pick your window, but this is the best energy we see in the whole run. For the more advanced crew, the afternoon of the 25th sees the swell punch up to 5ft from the S with an even stronger energy reading of 1497. However, that afternoon brings rain showers and light onshore wind, so the morning is your cleaner bet. For beginners, 4ft is manageable, but when it hits 5ft, it starts to push that beginner-friendly limit.

The following days from the 26th to the 29th keep moderate-sized swell in the 5ft to 7ft range, mostly from the S and SSW, with a period dropping to 14 seconds. The winds stay light, but mostly onshore or cross-onshore. The energy remains strong (up to 1802 on the 26th), but the quality is marginal at best due to the wind and tide issues. By the 30th, the swell drops back down, and a moderate cross-shore wind kicks up, making it choppy again.

So, to sum it up: keep your gear dry until the 23rd afternoon for a glassy but tiny session, then target the morning of the 25th for the best combo of size, power, and cleaner conditions.

Stay stoked and don't get skunked.
Rusty

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