Surf Forecasts:
Seaside Reef surf forecast from 7 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 10 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 17s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 12s period, SSW swell with 948 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 10s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Seaside Reef this week:
The surf forecast for Seaside Reef over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 13s. Another secondary swell of 0.6m and 4s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Seaside Reef in the next 16 days are 1.8m 12s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Tue 8th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Thu 10th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Seaside Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Seaside Reef, and to be honest, it’s a pretty grim stretch ahead. This is a proper advanced reef break, and it’s inconsistent, so it takes a good setup to fire. Over the next 16 days, we’re not seeing that.
The first real chance at anything rideable is Monday morning, September 7th. There’s a 6ft swell from the SSW, giving moderate wave energy (1183), but the wind is a cross-onshore NW breeze at 9 mph, chopping it up. The water is a warm 73°, which is 5° above normal, so it feels much warmer than usual for this time of year. It’s a pretty messy look, and the tide is likely a problem too, so it’s a so-so start.
From Monday afternoon through to the end of the first week, it’s a slow decline. Tuesday morning, September 8th, has 4ft from the SSW, but the wind stays cross-onshore. By Wednesday, the swell drops to 2ft on the 9th, and even though it’s a long-period 16-second groundswell, the wave energy is weak (424). The reef needs a decent push, and this is a dribble. The rest of the week into the weekend is a bust—small, choppy, and barely a ripple worth paddling for.
The second week, from September 14th onward, is a bit of a desert. The swell is tiny, mostly under 3ft, with long periods that promise shape but no size. The winds are mostly light and cross-onshore or onshore, which is the only thing keeping it from being a total washout. The energy numbers are all in the weak-to-moderate range, like 395 on the 14th.
The best on offer, if you can call it that, is that Monday morning, September 7th. It’s the biggest swell of the period, but it’s not clean. If you’re an expert and don’t mind a bit of chop, you might find a few. After that, there’s a stretch of about 10 days with no real recommendation. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer for most of it.
Keep an eye on the forecast, though. It tends not to stay this poor for long.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Mon morning. Warm (max 27°C on Mon morning, min 23°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Thu morning, min 19°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | W 8 | SW 19 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1104 | 948 | 455 | 237 | 227 | 167 | 214 | 326 | 419 | 547 | 496 | 483 | 465 | 360 | 309 | 214 | 208 | 160 | 144 | 130 | 177 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 8:08AM1.64m | 7:00PM2.24m | 8:36AM1.76m | 7:50PM2.29m | 9:04AM1.87m | 8:37PM2.28m | 9:32AM1.98m | 9:20PM2.20m | 10:00AM2.05m | 10:03PM2.06m | 10:28AM2.09m | 10:45PM1.88m | 10:55AM2.09m | 11:29PM1.68m | |||||||
Low Tide | 12:55PM1.08m | 2:06AM0.11m | 1:47PM0.90m | 2:42AM0.11m | 2:33PM0.74m | 3:15AM0.17m | 3:17PM0.61m | 3:45AM0.28m | 4:00PM0.53m | 4:13AM0.43m | 4:42PM0.49m | 4:39AM0.61m | 5:26PM0.51m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | |  | | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — |
 | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:04 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:59 | — | — | 6:58 | — |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 20 |
Feels °C | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | W 8 |
| kJ | 1104 | 948 | 455 | 237 | 227 | 136 | 68 | 326 | 419 | 547 | 496 | 483 | 465 | 360 | 309 | 68 | 74 | 74 | 131 | 117 | 133 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 19 | W 11 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 16 | SSW 12 | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
| kJ | 57 | 2 | 277 | 204 | 156 | 151 | 214 | 85 | 19 | 24 | 17 | 41 | 59 | 45 | 48 | 214 | 208 | 160 | 144 | 87 | 84 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 10 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SSW 13 | SSW 8 | SSW 12 | S 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 10 | SW 6 | S 9 | WSW 14 | S 9 | S 8 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 19 |
| kJ | 10 | 55 | 50 | 111 | 112 | 167 | 133 | 45 | 82 | 72 | 45 | 23 | 18 | 13 | 14 | 37 | 14 | 12 | 58 | 130 | 177 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 5 | — | — | — | — | — | SW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 12 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 42 | 42 | 25 | 42 | 25 | 0 | 41 | 42 | 8 | 116 | 19 | 19 | 89 | 19 | 18 | 116 | 42 | 18 | 19 | 195 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Diego County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Seaside Reef Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Seaside Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Seaside Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Seaside Reef surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Seaside Reef) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Seaside Reef may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Seaside Reef is 1 km (1 miles) from the city of Encinitas. If you plan a vacation in San Diego County, look for hotels and other accommodation in Encinitas. Encinitas has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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