Surf Forecasts:
Terra Mar surf forecast from 20 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 25 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 17s period, SW swell with 330 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s 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 Wednesday (Aug 19) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m 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 0.8m 17s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 5AM. 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+) | 11PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Terra Mar over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, surfers, it's Rusty here. Let's get stuck into the outlook for Terra Mar. It's a bit of a flat spell we're looking at, so strap in.
Right now, the water is sitting at a toasty 72°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you might not even need the full spring suit.
Honestly, the next couple of weeks are looking pretty quiet. We've got a long stretch of small, weak swell and mostly cross-onshore winds. There's a lot of days where the surf is just not worth paddling out. From Wednesday the 19th of August all the way through to the end of the month, we're looking at small waves, mostly under 3 ft, with a lot of days getting a "poor" call. The energy is weak, with combined swell energy often sitting below 500 (451, 432, 318). That's pretty gutless. The wind is mostly light, but it's coming from the west or southwest, which is onshore or cross-onshore here, so it's chopping up what little swell there is.
There's a bit of a lift in the energy around the 29th of August, with a 4 ft to 4 ft SSW swell and a 17-second period. The combined energy jumps up to 882, which is moderate, and it's a long-period groundswell, which is good for points. But it's still a marginal call, and the wind is still cross-onshore, so it's not going to be clean.
The only real standout in this whole outlook is the very end of the run. On Thursday the 3rd of September, we've got a late afternoon window that looks promising. The swell is 2 ft from the SW, with a 15-second period, giving us a combined energy of 324. The wind is set to go glassy, which is a major positive. That means clean, smooth conditions. For a point break like Terra Mar, which is fairly consistent and exposed to the swell, that could be a fun little session on a longboard. It's a long way out, so don't book the day off work yet, but keep an eye on it.
Everything else is a bit of a write-off. If you're desperate, you could try and make the most of the small, weak days, but it's more of a paddle than a surf. Given the consistent onshore wind and small swell, this setup actually looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing for most of the period.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Fri morning, min 21°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sat afternoon, min 22°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | ||||||||||||||
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 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
387 | 249 | 236 | 236 | 175 | 156 | 137 | 98 | 92 | 167 | 218 | 177 | 154 | 269 | 197 | 179 | 273 | 216 | 163 | 203 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 2:34PM1.82m | 3:47PM1.80m | 8:25AM1.36m | 5:06PM1.83m | 8:27AM1.43m | 6:08PM1.91m | 8:41AM1.49m | 6:56PM2.01m | 8:58AM1.55m | 7:35PM2.10m | 9:16AM1.61m | 8:10PM2.17m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:59PM0.76m | 00:19AM0.65m | 10:09AM1.35m | 1:10AM0.54m | 11:57AM1.32m | 1:47AM0.43m | 12:51PM1.24m | 2:18AM0.34m | 1:31PM1.14m | 2:46AM0.27m | 2:06PM1.04m | 3:12AM0.24m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | |
7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:27 | — | — | 7:25 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 22 |
Feels °C | 23 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 23 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 6 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | W 6 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 17 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 16 | W 6 |
387 | 249 | 236 | 236 | 175 | 156 | 137 | 98 | 22 | 167 | 218 | 39 | 135 | 269 | 197 | 179 | 42 | 51 | 163 | 59 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 13 | W 6 | W 6 | SSW 13 | W 6 | SW 18 | W 6 | SSW 12 | SW 17 | SW 16 | S 13 | SW 16 |
41 | 24 | 26 | 18 | 10 | 19 | 11 | 6 | 92 | 19 | 16 | 99 | 25 | 199 | 23 | 85 | 273 | 216 | 125 | 203 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 14 | SW 18 | SW 19 | WSW 19 | S 10 | SW 18 | SSW 16 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | W 6 | SSW 12 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | W 17 | S 13 |
4 | 13 | 57 | 35 | 8 | 81 | 51 | 49 | 81 | 56 | 58 | 177 | 154 | 15 | 89 | 66 | 126 | 126 | 24 | 121 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — | WNW 6 | W 6 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | — | 68 | 51 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 61 | 0 | 115 | 61 | 0 | 103 | 61 | 0 | 61 | 60 | 0 | 61 | 60 | 30 | 60 | 60 | 0 | 61 | 60 | 24 |
Best forecast wave conditions in San Diego County | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











