Surf Forecasts:
Terra Mar surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 14s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period, SSW swell with 402 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 18 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 14s 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 (Aug 18) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 6s. 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 0.9m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Terra Mar over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get this straight. Looking at the whole 16-day window, it’s pretty bleak out there for a proper surf. We’ve got a whole lot of small, weak swell and mostly onshore or cross-onshore winds messing things up. The first real week is a write-off, to be honest. You’re looking at a solid six or seven days of gutless, bumpy conditions. Don’t even bother waxing up until we get past the 26th.
The long period swells are showing up, but they’re just not bringing any size, and the direction is all wrong for our main break, Terra Mar. It’s a point break, and it needs that west-southwest to really work, but we’re getting a lot of south-southwest energy that just doesn’t wrap in the same way. The energy levels are mostly weak to moderate – you’ll see three-digit numbers in the 300s and 400s, which is just nothing to get excited about. Water temps are pretty average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
For the first week, from Monday the 17th through the weekend of the 22nd, it’s poor. The swell is tiny, down around 2 to 3 feet, and the wind is mostly a light cross-onshore breeze from the west or west-southwest. It’s gonna be a messy, choppy surface with barely any push. There are a couple of moments where it downgrades to just “light cross-onshore with small wind ripples,” but that’s not going to save it. It’s a full-on, frustrating lockout. The crowds at Terra Mar might be possible, but honestly, no one’s going to be out there for this.
We finally get a small window on Thursday the 27th. It’s still only 2 feet, but the wind goes glassy with that south-east offshore. The period is 14 seconds, so there’s a bit of life in it, but it’s still small. That’s about the best you can say. The score for that is the highest in the first week, but it’s a pretty low bar. It’ll be clean, but you’ll be on a longboard and scratching for anything.
Then, we have to wait all the way to the end of the period. The standout is Sunday the 30th of August. We’ve got a bump in the energy – a strong reading of 658 – and the swell holds at 3 feet from the SSW with a 15-second period. The wind is forecast to be glassy in the morning with that light west-southwest breeze. That morning session is your pick of the entire forecast. It's still not big, but it’s the cleanest it’s going to get with that strength of energy behind it. The period being a touch over 15 seconds is a plus, but at a point break like Terra Mar, it should be able to handle it without getting too straight.
The following Monday the 31st is a step down again, with the wind turning onshore and the energy dropping. So, if you’re keen, that Sunday morning is your window. It’s a promise of a clean, glassy session, but keep your expectations in check for size. The long-range stuff shows a slight bump for the 1st of September, but that’s a week and a half away, and we know how that goes—far less certain.
So, there you have it. A whole lot of nothing for the first week, a glimmer of hope on the 27th, and a real, but small, glassy window on the morning of the 30th. Don't hold your breath for the rest.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Wed morning, min 20°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Sat morning, min 22°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
330 | 264 | 257 | 232 | 243 | 272 | 377 | 387 | 249 | 236 | 236 | 226 | 156 | 137 | 135 | 92 | 123 | 218 | 177 | 155 | 269 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 1:01PM1.93m | 1:36AM1.37m | 1:41PM1.88m | 3:24AM1.21m | 2:34PM1.82m | 3:47PM1.80m | 8:25AM1.36m | 5:06PM1.83m | 8:27AM1.43m | 6:08PM1.91m | 8:41AM1.49m | 6:56PM2.01m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 7:51PM0.79m | 6:47AM0.96m | 9:16PM0.81m | 7:02AM1.12m | 10:59PM0.76m | 00:19AM0.65m | 10:09AM1.35m | 1:10AM0.54m | 11:57AM1.32m | 1:47AM0.43m | 12:51PM1.24m | 2:18AM0.34m | |||||||||
6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | |
— | 7:32 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:27 | — | — | 7:25 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 23 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 23 |
Feels °C | 23 | 23 | 22 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 |
330 | 264 | 257 | 39 | 39 | 272 | 377 | 387 | 249 | 236 | 236 | 226 | 156 | 137 | 135 | 92 | 123 | 218 | 137 | 135 | 269 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | SSW 18 | W 6 | SSW 16 | SSW 17 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 18 | W 6 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | W 10 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 |
24 | 63 | 33 | 232 | 243 | 36 | 41 | 29 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 5 | 81 | 6 | 49 | 51 | 89 | 17 | 177 | 155 | 199 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 19 | SW 20 | W 14 | SW 18 | SW 19 | WSW 19 | S 10 | W 6 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 17 | W 10 | SW 19 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | W 5 |
8 | 8 | 2 | 114 | 98 | 15 | 16 | 4 | 13 | 57 | 35 | 8 | 6 | 51 | 51 | 29 | 18 | 58 | 86 | 84 | 7 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — |
— | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 60 | 61 | 0 | 60 | 60 | 0 | 60 | 61 | 0 | 103 | 178 | 0 | 103 | 178 | 0 | 61 | 61 | 0 | 60 | 60 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Diego County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











