Stinson Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Stinson Beach has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, this is a pretty quiet stretch. The first few days are a write-off with tiny, weak swell and onshore winds. We’re looking at a bit of a blank run to start. Wednesday the 5th and Thursday the 6th are offering up ankle-snappers around 1ft to 2ft from the SW, but the wind is on it and the combined wave energy is low (134-177), so it’s basically a flat spell. That carries on through the end of the first week with nothing doing—just poor surf and cross-onshore breezes.

The first real sign of life shows up early on Sunday the 9th of August. We get a pulse of 6ft swell from the WNW, with a short period of 10 seconds and moderate energy (694). The wind is a light cross-onshore, which is not ideal but it’s the best we’ve seen. Still, the wave comment calls it marginal, so don’t get too excited. The water temp is sitting at 61°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

From there, the middle of the week (Monday the 10th through Thursday the 13th) sees a drop back to 4ft to 5ft, still with that short-period WNW windswell and mostly cross-onshore or onshore wind. The energy numbers stay moderate (342-559), but the surf quality remains poor. Nothing to take a day off for.

We hit a dry patch again late in the second week. The mornings and afterdays from Friday the 14th through Tuesday the 18th are a mixed bag of mostly small, poor surf. Some mornings have a light breeze, but the swell is tiny (1ft to 3ft) with combined energy staying moderate (301-531). The overall consistency is poor, and the wind is never truly clean.

The one standout—and I mean the *only* one worth talking about—comes on Wednesday the 19th of August. That morning, a solid 7ft swell from the NW rolls in with a short period of 8 seconds, but the combined energy jumps to 1021 (strong wave energy). The wind is a light cross-onshore with small ripples, so it’s a bit bumpy. At 7ft, this is getting into the "too big for beginners" zone, and with that short period, it’s going to be a lumpy, powerful close-out at this beach break. It’s also likely to be more interesting for kite surfers if the wind cooperates. For the paddle surfer, it’s a bit of a messy beast, but it’s the only day with real size and energy on offer.

So, the best of a quiet run is that Wednesday the 19th morning. It’s not perfect, but you’ll get some waves. The rest of the 16-day window? Mostly a waiting game.

Rusty.

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