South Del Mar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the next couple of weeks at South Del Mar. I gotta be straight with you, it’s a tough one to call right now. For the first week and a half, we’re looking at a pretty flat and frustrating picture. There’s a long dry spell until we get a little pulse of life, but even then, we’re not talking about a classic day. The water’s running much warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 72°, a solid 5° anomaly, so the sting is out of the air, but the waves just aren't cooperating.

We kick off the forecast period on Friday, July 10th, and honestly, it’s a write-off. South Del Mar is a reef setup that’s exposed to the swell, but we’ve got a weak 3ft groundswell from the SSW with a 15-second period. The combined energy is only moderate (459), and with a cross-on breeze from the WSW at 9 mph, it’s creating poor, choppy conditions. Same story rolls through Saturday and Sunday – small, crummy, and just not worth paddling out for. The wind stays rubbish, and the wave heights stay under 3ft. This flat spell drags right through until about July 18th.

The first flicker of something happens on Saturday morning, July 18th. Swell bumps up a touch to 3ft from the SW with a very long 18-second period. The energy jumps to moderate (535). But the wind is onshore from the WSW at 9 mph, so the surface is crap and it’s still a no-go. That longer period does hint at some energy, though. The real standout finally appears on Sunday, July 19th. Morning and afternoon both show a 4ft swell from the S with a 15-second period. The energy cranks up to strong (1173 and 1187). This is the best looking surf of the whole outlook. The size is still manageable for most, but the onshore wind from the West at 9 mph keeps it from being truly epic – it's "marginal," not clean. Still, if you're desperate and have a forgiving board, Sunday the 19th is your best bet, but don’t expect perfect glass.

After that, it drops back down. Monday and Tuesday (July 20th & 21st) offer 3ft to 3ft from the SW, but the cross-on wind picks up again. The week after that, from July 22nd onward, the outlook fades again into tiny, weak surf with poor wind. By the time we get to Saturday, July 25th, there’s a small pulse of 4ft to 4ft from the S with a short, choppy 12-second period. The energy is moderate (707) and the wind is looking light, possibly offshore from the West. It’s a distant maybe, but not something to clear your schedule for.

Honestly, for the vast majority of this 16-day window, the surf is too weak and wind-affected for a good paddle session. The reef set-up at South Del Mar needs better conditions. With the consistent onshore and cross-onshore flow, this stretch looks more interesting for kite surfing than a traditional surf.

Rusty.

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