Stockton Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break down what Stockton’s got coming for us over the next couple of weeks. To be honest, it’s looking pretty sad. We’ve got a long stretch of tiny, crummy, or flat conditions, and nothing jumps out as a good session. The wave energy is weak most days—single and low double digits—and the biggest we see is 136 (moderate energy) right near the end. Water temp is about normal for the season, nothing to talk about.

Starting Friday, August 14th, it’s all small and poor. Friday morning is glassy with a 0.3ft SE swell at 9 seconds, but it’s poor. That afternoon goes cross-onshore, still tiny. Saturday the 15th is clean but with a 0.3ft SE swell—still nothing. Sunday the 16th brings a nasty onshore wind with a 2ft to 3ft SE/SSE swell, short period, and strong winds—only for those who don’t mind a beating. Monday the 17th morning gives us a 3ft SSE swell at 7 seconds with clean cross-off wind from the NW, and the wave comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions”—it’s the best of a bad lot, but still poor.

Then we hit a big dead zone. From Monday afternoon the 17th through the 28th of August, it’s all poor surf. Swells are mostly under 2ft, with weak energy. A few days like Tuesday the 18th afternoon have a longer period 13-second SE swell at 2ft, but it’s cross-shore and poor. Thursday the 20th afternoon goes offshore from the N, but the swell is only 1ft. Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd are clean but flat. Sunday the 23rd has a 3ft SSW swell with onshore wind and poor conditions. The whole second week is more of the same: tiny waves, poor quality, nothing worth chasing.

The only slight uptick is Friday, August 28th morning, when we get glassy conditions with a 1ft SE swell at 9 seconds and weak energy (27). Then that afternoon sees a 3ft E swell at 6 seconds, but it’s onshore and poor. Finally, on Saturday, August 29th morning, the swell comes up to 3ft from the E at 7 seconds with 136 combined energy (moderate energy), but it’s cross-onshore and choppy. That’s the biggest energy of the whole run, but it’s still poor surf. Might be okay for beginners if the wind backs off, but don’t count on it.

Bottom line: no good surf in this 16-day window. Stockton is usually a consistent spot, but this is a rough stretch. For kite surfing, those bigger onshore days like Sunday the 16th and late on the 28th could be fun, but for paddle surfing, you’re better off staying home. The lull runs from Monday the 17th right through to Friday the 28th—that’s nearly 12 days of nothing. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye out, but right now it’s a tough one.

Rusty

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