Temples Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is your local surf report, coming straight from the beach – Rusty here.

Alright, buddy, let’s talk about the next couple of weeks. We’re looking at a long stretch of surf, but it’s not gonna be a classic the whole way through. The main event is all about Temples, a reef and point break that’s getting a solid run of swell, but we’ve got some wind to deal with early on. The water is sitting at 80°F, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We kick off on Monday, July 20th. There’s a decent pulse of swell from the SW, hitting 5 ft in the morning and building to 7 ft in the afternoon. The period is a very long 16 seconds, which is proper groundswell energy. That’s a lot of power in the water – combined energy is a hefty 2325 (moderate to strong). The wind is offshore from the SE, which is clean, but it’s a fresh breeze at 19 mph, so it’s not glassy. For an advanced spot like Temples, this is doable, but the 7 ft afternoon sets are getting into the “only for experts” territory. The forecast mentions “marginal surf or questionable tide conditions,” so don’t expect perfection.

Tuesday, July 21st, is a similar story. Swell drops a touch to 6 ft in the morning and 5 ft in the afternoon, still from the SSW with a 14-second period. The wind is still a fresh offshore from the SE, keeping the faces clean, but the energy is dropping (1344 down to 1189). Still solid, but not the standout.

By Wednesday and Thursday (July 22-23), the swell fades. We’re looking at 3 ft to 4 ft, with the period dropping to 13-14 seconds. The wind stays offshore, but the energy is weak (685 to 722). It’s rideable, but you’ll be scratching for waves.

Friday, July 24th, is the low point. Swell bottoms out at 3 ft to 3 ft, but the period jumps to a very long 17 seconds. That’s a ghost swell – all that energy (865-898) is there, but it’s not breaking with any punch at this point break. Offshore wind, but barely a ripple.

Then we get a bit of a pulse on Saturday, July 25th. Swell bumps up to 4 ft in the morning, 4 ft in the afternoon, with a 15-second period and moderate energy (1079). The wind is still a fresh offshore. It’s better, but not the standout.

Now, here’s the real heart of the forecast. The standout of the whole run is the final week, starting Monday, July 28th. We’ve got a proper clean window. On Tuesday, July 28th, the swell is 3 ft but with a very long 16-second period from the SSW. The wind drops to a moderate 12 mph offshore. The combined energy is 758 (moderate), and the call is “expect very good surf conditions.” This is the sweet spot – clean, lined-up groundswell at a reef and point break. This is what you’re waiting for.

Then, the absolute best of the best is Friday, July 31st, and Saturday, August 1st. Friday morning sees 4 ft of SSW swell at 14 seconds, with a moderate ESE offshore wind. The energy is 1231 (strong), and the forecast is calling it “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” Saturday, August 1st, is nearly identical: 4 ft from the SW with a 16-17 second period. The wind is a moderate offshore, and the energy is 1056 (strong). This is the peak. Temples is “fairly consistent” and “sometimes” crowded, so during these excellent conditions, you can expect a pack. For an advanced spot, this is the time to be out.

The following Sunday, August 2nd, has a bigger swell at 6 ft from the SW, but it’s a shorter 14-15 second period. The energy is high (1480), but the wind is still a fresh offshore. It’s still good, but the quality is a step down from the Friday and Saturday peak. Monday, August 3rd, still has some solid 6 ft swell with moderate energy, but the wind goes cross-offshore in the afternoon, which messes with the clean lines.

After that, it fades out. Tuesday, August 4th, is the last day with 5 ft, but the energy drops to 620, and the wind is moderate offshore. It’s a quiet end to the run.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is riddled with fresh winds and marginal conditions. The real gold is the last week of July and the first few days of August. Mark your calendar for Friday, July 31st, and Saturday, August 1st – that’s your best shot at clean, powerful groundswell at Temples.

Rusty.

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