Stinson Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – this stretch at Stinson Beach has got a bit of a sulk on for the next couple of weeks. The waves are there, but the wind is just making a mess of things for most of it. We’re not looking at any classic clean days, especially on the afternoon sea breezes, so let's get into the nitty gritty.

The forecast kicks off starting Thursday, July 30th, but it's a write-off. We've got a cross-on shore breeze from the WNW at 15 mph, chewing up a 6 ft swell. The water is sitting at 61°, which is a whopping 4° warmer than usual for this time of year – almost like a warm bath, but you won't be enjoying it with that chop. The combined energy is moderate at 726, but the conditions are just poor.

Moving into Friday July 31st, the morning brings a little sliver of hope. The swell drops right down to 3 ft, but it's from the SSW with a long 14-second period. The wind is light from the WNW, so it's crossed-up but small. It’s a marginal call, but the best you'll get all day. The afternoon is back to the same old story of 15 mph cross-on wind and messy 6 ft waves.

The weekend of August 1st and 2nd is a bit of a tease. Saturday morning has a 7 ft NW swell with a light breeze, but it's still cross-on. The combined energy is bumping up to 995, which is a solid moderate push, but it's a marginal forecast. The morning sessions are your only window before the wind fires up to 15 mph in the afternoon. Sunday is a carbon copy – 7 ft in the morning, cross-on light wind, and the energy is 869. It’s bigger, but those mornings are the only chance for a few lumpy ones.

We hit Monday August 3rd, and for the first time we get a true onshore wind from the SSW at just 3 mph. The swell is a decent 7 ft from the WNW with a 10-second period, and the energy is strong at 861. It’s still classed as marginal, but with the light wind and onshore direction, it’s the best looking session of the entire forecast. The water is still notably warm for the season.

After Monday, the outlook gets grim. From Tuesday August 4th right through to the end of the forecast on Friday August 14th, we’re looking at a long stretch of either poor or marginal conditions. The swell drops off significantly, mostly under 3 ft, and the wind is either cross-on or onshore, constantly chopping things up. There’s a hint of a long-period SSW groundswell around August 12th and 13th, with periods of 16-18 seconds and energy values climbing over 600, but it’s small (2 ft to 3 ft) and the wind is just not cooperating. The truth is, there’s no standout day here. The best you can hope for is a sleepy Monday morning session on August 3rd if you’re desperate for a paddle.

Rusty, signing off.

Read more