South Del Mar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for South Del Mar. It’s a bit of a slow start, but there’s some potential later on if you’re patient.

Right now, and through the weekend, it’s pretty grim. We’ve got a weak, short-period swell fighting against a moderate cross-onshore breeze. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there. South Del Mar is a reef break that’s fairly consistent, but the conditions are just poor. The wave energy is weak (331) on Friday, and it’s not much better Saturday. You’re looking at ankle to knee-high, choppy slop. Not worth paddling out.

Sunday the 19th sees a slight uptick. The wind eases to a light breeze, and the swell bumps up a touch to 3 ft from the SW, with a period of 17 seconds. That’s a long period groundswell, which means better shaped waves, but it also tends to make a beach break close out. Since this is a reef, it could actually line up okay. The combined energy climbs to 720 (moderate), and the wind goes light cross-onshore. It’s marginal, but Sunday afternoon is the best of a bad bunch, with a 3 ft swell and offshore wind from the W. That’s your first real window if you’re desperate for a slide.

Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st stay marginal. The swell stays around 3 ft to 4 ft from the SSW, with periods around 15-16 seconds. The wind swings offshore in the mornings, so it’ll be clean, but the wave energy is still moderate (738 to 805). The surf is small and weak, but rideable if you’ve got a longboard.

The middle of the week, Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd, takes a step back. The wind goes cross-onshore again, and the swell drops a bit. The combined energy is moderate but the wave quality is poor to marginal. Not a lot to get excited about.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The weekend of the 25th and 26th of July brings a proper pulse. On Saturday the 25th, we see the swell jump to 7 ft from the SSW, with a period of 16 seconds. That’s a solid groundswell. The combined energy is strong (2613), which is a massive jump. The wind is a light cross-onshore, so it’ll be a little bumpy, but the size is there. Sunday the 26th is the standout: the swell drops to 5 ft from the SSW, with a period of 13 seconds, and the wind goes light offshore from the WSW. That’s glassy conditions. The wave energy is still strong (1526). This is the best on offer – clean, solid waves for intermediate to advanced surfers. It’s pushing 5 ft, so beginners might find it a bit much, but for everyone else, this is the session to aim for.

The last few days of July and into August fade back to small, weak, and choppy. The combined energy drops to 382 and then 177, with cross-onshore winds. The surf flattens right out.

So, the long story short: the first week is mostly a write-off, with a few small, clean windows on Sunday the 19th and Monday the 20th if you’re on a longboard. The real highlight is the weekend of the 25th and 26th, especially Sunday the 26th with clean, 5 ft SSW groundswell and light offshore wind. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. It’s a reef break, so the long period swell should line up nicely, but it can get a bit heavy when it’s over 7 ft, so watch the Saturday if you’re not confident. Crowds are often here, so expect company.

That’s the picture from here. Keep your eyes on the horizon.
Rusty.

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