Stockton Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and here’s the local word on the surf at Stockton. Truth is, the next 16 days are a rough patch – hardly a wave worth paddling for. The water’s about 76°F today, a touch warmer than normal for the season, but that’s the only highlight. The first real recommendation doesn’t come until late in the run, so we’ve got a big gap of nothing.

From Tuesday the 25th of August through Monday the 7th of September, it’s all “poor surf conditions” with tiny swell. Most days we’re looking at waves under 2 ft – a few 1 ft to 1 ft from the southeast, with weak energy readings (mostly between 20 and 95). The combined swell energy barely hits triple digits once on Thursday afternoon the 27th with a 200 reading, but that’s with a 3 ft swell from the SSE and onshore winds – not worth the drive. The period is all over the place, mostly short to average. The wind offers a few glassy or clean moments, like Wednesday morning the 26th or Friday afternoon the 28th with a 2 ft S swell, but the wave heights are just too small to get excited about. It’s surfable, but very ordinary.

Then things get weird. From Tuesday the 1st of September, we get a tiny pulse of long-period groundswell – 0.7 ft to 1 ft from the ESE and SE with periods of 14 to 15 seconds. That’s proper long period, but the energy is still weak (around 45–48), and the waves are tiny. On a beach break like Stockton, that long period can make waves break too straight, so it’s more of a curiosity.

The one standout – and really the only one – is on Thursday the 3rd of September in the morning. We’ve got a 2 ft swell from the SE with a 10-second period, clean cross-offshore winds from the ENE at 5 mph, and the combined energy is a modest 55. It’s not big, but it’s the cleanest, most consistent wave of the whole outlook. The water’s still warm for the season, and the calm conditions mean it’ll be glassy. Stockton is a beach/jetty setup, consistent, exposed to swell, and best with swell from the SE – which matches up. Crowds are possible, but with waves this small, it’ll be quiet. Perfect for beginners, but not for anyone looking for a thrill.

After that, the second week is more of the same: poor surf, tiny waves, and wind that’s either onshore or too strong. On Friday the 4th of September afternoon, we get a 2 ft SE swell with a 25 mph offshore from the NNW – strong offshore and clean, but the energy is only 54 and with that wind, paddling in would be a nightmare.

So, bottom line: don’t get your hopes up. The long-period stuff early in September looks interesting on paper, but the size kills it. If you’re keen, aim for the morning of Thursday the 3rd of September – it’s your best bet, but keep expectations low. This kind of blank run is normal here, and the forecast can change, so stay tuned.

Rusty.

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