Stockton Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the Stockton stretch. Gotta be straight with you – this is a lean run. We’ve got a 16-day window, but the first proper surfable day doesn’t pop up until Friday afternoon, 28th August. Before that, it’s a whole lotta flat, junk, or cross-shore chop. The water’s sitting at 77°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a winter suit.

For the first few days, it’s a write-off. Tiny swells, wrong winds, and the wave comment is "poor surf conditions" right through. You’re looking at a gap of nearly five days from the start of the forecast with nothing worth paddling for.

Then, on Friday afternoon, 28th August, we finally get a whisper of life. Swell is a measly 1 ft from the ESE, with a short period of 8 seconds. The energy is weak – just 51 (combined energy). But the wind goes glassy, dead calm. That’s the one saving grace. The waves are "surfable but very ordinary." It’s not a standout, but it’s the first breath of air in a long flat spell. Stockton is a beach/jetty setup, exposed to the SE, and with that tiny swell and glassy conditions, it’s a beginner’s session for sure. Don’t expect much.

As we roll into the first week of September, things get a little more interesting, but not by much. Monday afternoon, 31st August, sees a bump in size – 4 ft from the south, but with a windswell period of only 5 seconds and onshore wind. The energy jumps to 141 (moderate), but it’s messy and not recommended. Tuesday, 1st September, brings a 2 ft ESE swell with a 14-second period. That’s a long-period groundswell, and the energy is 229 (moderate). The wind is cross-off, so it’s clean. But the call is still "marginal." It’s the best-looking day on paper, but with that long period, those waves might be a bit too straight for the beach break, and the size is still tiny. Worth a look if you’re desperate, but don’t drive far.

The rest of the first week stays poor. Wednesday and Thursday are all cross-on or onshore with small, weak swell. Energy stays low (101-111), and the period drops back to 10-12 seconds. Not worth it.

Then, into the second week, we get a slight flicker. Saturday morning, 5th September, shows a 3 ft SE swell with a 12-second period. The energy is 175 (moderate), and the wind is cross-off from the NNW. It’s clean. This is probably the best-looking swell of the whole run, though still small. The same holds for Saturday afternoon, with 2 ft and clean wind. The crowd profile at Stockton says "sometimes," so you might have a few others with the same idea, but it won’t be a circus.

Sunday morning, 6th September, is also clean with a 2 ft ESE swell, but the energy drops to 85 (weak). It’s "surfable but very ordinary." After that, Monday 7th September sees the energy drop right off again, with 1 ft and more cross-shore wind.

The standout here, if you can call it that, is the Saturday 5th September session. The 2-3 ft SE swell with the 12-second period and clean cross-off wind is the best combo we’ve got. The energy is moderate, and the direction matches the optimum SE swell direction. It’s a poor man’s standout, but it’s all we’ve got. The Friday afternoon 28th August glass-off is a close second for pure novelty.

Rusty, signing off.

Read more