Terra Mar Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.20° N 117.39° W

Terra Mar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 4 pm 14 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Terra Mar sea temperature is
23.2°C
3.4° 

Terra Mar surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Terra Mar surf forecast from 15 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 17 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 21 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 17s period, SW swell with 553 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 15 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 19s period with SSW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Terra Mar this week:

The surf forecast for Terra Mar over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 19s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 16s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Terra Mar in the next 16 days are 1.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 21) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Tue 15th Sep)1.5ft (0.4m) 19s
Best Surf 5AM (Thu 17th Sep)3ft (0.9m) 16s
Most Powerful 5PM (Mon 21st Sep)3.5ft (1.0m) 17s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Terra Mar over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Terra Mar over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you – this is one of those periods where we’re looking at a whole lot of "meh" and not a lot of "yeah!". The swell is going to be small, the wind is often a bit of a problem, and the water is weirdly warm.

Right now, through the rest of September and into early October, the pattern is pretty grim for quality surf. There’s a long gap of nothing worth paddling out for. The first real suggestion of a session doesn’t show up until Friday the 18th, and even then it’s a marginal call. That’s a full four-day stretch from today with no genuine green lights.

Let’s talk about what’s happening out there. The water temp is sitting at a very unusual 74°, which is a whopping 6° warmer than it should be for this time of year. That’s a proper anomaly, makes the ocean feel like bathwater.

Now, the only break we’ve got on the radar is Terra Mar. It’s a point break, exposed to the WSW swell, which is what’s lining up. The swell direction hitting the beach is mostly from the SW to SSW, with heights barely cracking 3 ft to 3 ft on the best days. The period is super long – we’re talking 16 to 20 seconds for most of the stronger pulses. That’s proper groundswell, but with a caveat: it’s a long period which can sometimes make a point break behave a little fat, though it should have some push and shape.

The one period that looks slightly less hopeless is from the morning of Friday, 18th September through to the afternoon of Monday, 21st September. During that window, the swell holds around 3 ft to 3 ft from the SW, with period around 17-18 seconds. The combined energy climbs a bit too, into the 500s (504 on Saturday morning, 676 on Sunday afternoon), so it’s got moderate energy. The issue is the wind. For most of those windows, it’s onshore or cross-onshore. There are a few morning slots with light onshore breezes from the SW, but nothing that qualifies as clean offshore.

Because the swell is so small and the wind is generally a pain, and it’s a point break that needs the right conditions, the standout – if you can even call it that – would be Sunday morning, 20th September at Terra Mar. You’ve got 3 ft of SW swell with an 18-second period, light onshore wind (the best of a bad bunch), and combined energy at 585. That’s about as good as it gets in this dry spell. It’s still only marginal and the wind isn’t glassy, but it’s the pick of a very average lot.

For the rest of the week after that, the swell drops back down in height and period, the energy fades, and the wind stays messy. Nothing else stands out. Honestly, if you have a kite, you might get more fun out of the choppy conditions than a surfboard.

Signing off,
Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Mon afternoon, min 18°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Fri afternoon, min 18°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Mon
14
Tuesday
15
Wednesday
16
Thursday
17
Friday
18
Saturday
19
Sunday
20
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
1
0
0
2
0
0
2
1
0
3
2
0
2
2
1
2
1
1
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
SW
18
0.6
SW
17
0.6
SW
16
0.4
SSW
20
0.4
SSW
18
0.8
SSW
18
0.6
SSW
17
0.9
SSW
16
0.8
SSW
16
0.8
SSW
15
1
SSW
15
0.6
SW
19
0.6
SW
19
0.6
SW
19
0.8
SW
18
0.8
SW
18
0.8
SW
18
0.9
SW
18
0.9
SW
18
0.9
SW
17
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
150
190
161
127
114
390
229
366
288
275
405
303
303
234
379
375
375
455
522
499
Wind (km/h)
10
SSW
10
S
10
SSW
10
SW
5
SSE
10
SW
10
WSW
0
NW
10
WSW
15
W
5
NW
10
WSW
15
W
0
WNW
10
SW
10
WSW
0
SSW
15
SSW
10
SW
5
S
Wind State
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
glassy
on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
on
cross-on
glassy
on
cross-on
glassy
on
on
glassy
High Tide
00:18AM1.49m
11:53AM1.99m
1:22AM1.32m
12:27PM1.90m
3:52AM1.22m
1:13PM1.80m
2:35PM1.72m
8:13AM1.44m
4:22PM1.72m
7:53AM1.50m
5:36PM1.80m
Low Tide
6:14PM0.56m
5:24AM0.96m
7:08PM0.64m
5:37AM1.11m
8:22PM0.72m
5:04AM1.22m
10:05PM0.73m
11:35PM0.67m
10:11AM1.43m
00:29AM0.57m
11:54AM1.34m
1:06AM0.48m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:31
6:33
6:33
6:33
6:35
6:35
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:57
6:55
6:53
6:52
6:52
6:50
6:49
 mm
Temp °C
22
20
22
22
20
21
21
19
21
21
19
21
22
20
22
22
21
22
22
20
Feels °C
21
21
22
22
21
21
20
19
21
20
19
21
21
20
22
22
22
22
22
22
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  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Terra Mar Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Terra Mar provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Terra Mar can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Terra Mar surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Terra Mar) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Terra Mar may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Terra Mar is 1 km (1 miles) from the city of Oceanside. If you plan a vacation in San Diego County, look for hotels and other accommodation in Oceanside. Oceanside has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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