San Pancho (San Francisco) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s settle in and look at what's coming up for San Pancho over the next couple of weeks.

The next few days are offering some clean, glassy mornings with a steady, long-period groundswell rolling in from the SW. The swell is small, around the 3ft to 3ft, but that 14 to 15 second period is giving these waves some real grunt and shape. The combined wave energy is sitting at a solid moderate level (346 to 408), which is pretty decent for the size. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no nasty surprises there.

The standout mornings for a proper surf are Sunday the 16th, Monday the 17th, and Tuesday the 18th. You’ll want to be on it early. Sunday morning, the wind is a light cross-off from the NE at just 3 mph, keeping it clean, while Monday and Tuesday mornings are looking properly glassy. That light, variable air means the surface will be smooth as a lake. This is a reef break, and with that long-period swell, it should be lining up nicely.

The afternoons are a different story. The wind swings onshore from the WNW or WSW, kicking up a chop and ruining the shape. You’re better off calling it a day by lunchtime. The swell holds through Wednesday morning the 19th and Thursday morning the 20th, but by Thursday, the energy drops off noticeably (166), and the conditions are just ordinary. Still surfable, but nothing to get excited about. Friday morning, the 21st, is much the same.

We hit a bit of a lull over the weekend of the 23rd and 24th, though Saturday the 22nd has a strong offshore wind from the E at 12 mph pushing that 2ft, 16-second swell into clean lines. Could be a fun little session if you don’t mind the breeze.

Now, if you can hold out, the real prize looks to be the following weekend. Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th of August are shaping up as the best on offer. The swell jumps back up to a consistent 3ft to 4ft from the SW, still with that lovely 15 to 16-second period. The combined wave energy gets a real kick, hitting 530 to 544. That’s strong, punchy energy for the size. The mornings are looking clean with light offshore or glassy conditions. Saturday the 29th afternoon even holds glassy conditions, which is rare. This is the window to circle on your calendar.

It’s a classic San Pancho pattern: get up early or wait for the next pulse. The long period means the sets will be a bit more spaced out, so paddle for the ones that matter.

Rusty.

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