Terra Mar Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.20° N 117.39° W

Terra Mar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 4 pm 17 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Terra Mar sea temperature is
22.6° C
2.7° 

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 18 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 TypeTime (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, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple weeks.

Honestly, mate, we’re in for a bit of a dry spell. The first solid stretch is looking pretty flat and uninspiring. We’ve got a long gap of days with not much to recommend, from now until the end of August, most of the action is marginal at best. The swell is small and the conditions are just not coming together for a good paddle.

Terra Mar is the only game in town, and it’s a beginner-friendly point break that’s fairly consistent. The water is sitting at 73°F, which is 5°F warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s a notable warm anomaly, so you might be tempted to go in just for a soak.

For Monday the 17th, we’ve got a tiny 3ft swell from the SSW with a 14-second period. The combined energy is weak (359), and with a cross-onshore wind, it’s just choppy and poor. Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th are similar: 2ft to 3ft swell, still weak energy (383 to 451), and while the wind is light and onshore, the surf is marginal and the tide might be a factor. Thursday the 20th through Monday the 25th? Same story – small waves (2ft to 2ft), weak energy, and a mix of onshore and light cross-onshore breezes. The surf quality is just not there.

We finally see a glimmer of hope on Saturday, August 29th. The swell jumps to 4ft from the SSW, with a period of 18 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell. The combined energy hits a strong 1082 to 1124. But the wind is onshore, so it’s still marginal. Sunday the 30th keeps that energy up (1009) with a 5ft swell, but again, the onshore wind is keeping things from being clean. This is the best of the bunch, but it’s more for the dedicated surfer than a standout.

Monday the 31st drops back to 4ft, energy fading to 558, and the wind turns cross-onshore again. The first day of September is a return to the small stuff.

For a beginner spot, anything over 5ft can be a handful, so the late August swell is manageable. The real bummer is the wind – it’s almost always onshore or cross-onshore, keeping the surface bumpy. The point break setup at Terra Mar might hold a bit of shape, but it’s not going to be pretty. If the wind swings offshore, this would be a different story, but right now, it’s a tough call.

So, the one true standout? There isn’t one. The best we’ve got is that late August pulse, but with the onshore wind, it’s more of a “check the cam” situation than a must-paddle. For now, I’d say keep the board in the car and hope the forecasts shift.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Wed morning, min 20°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Sat morning, min 22°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Mon
17
Tuesday
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
2
1
0
2
1
1
2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
1
2
1
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.8
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
16
0.7
SSW
17
0.8
SSW
15
0.9
SSW
16
0.9
SSW
16
0.8
SSW
15
0.8
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.8
SSW
14
0.7
SSW
13
0.6
SSW
13
0.6
SSW
13
0.4
SW
18
0.5
SSW
15
0.7
SSW
14
0.5
SW
19
0.5
SW
18
0.8
SSW
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
264
257
232
243
272
377
387
249
236
236
226
156
137
135
92
123
218
177
155
269
Wind (km/h)
15
WNW
5
NW
10
SW
10
W
5
WNW
10
WSW
10
SW
5
SSW
10
SW
10
SW
0
SSE
10
SW
10
SW
0
NNW
10
WSW
10
WSW
5
WSW
10
WSW
10
WSW
5
WSW
Wind State
cross-on
glassy
on
cross-on
glassy
on
on
glassy
on
on
glassy
on
on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
on
on
glassy
High Tide
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
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:13
6:13
6:15
6:16
6:16
6:16
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:32
7:31
7:30
7:29
7:28
7:27
7:25
 mm
Temp °C
23
21
24
24
22
25
25
23
25
24
22
25
25
24
26
26
24
26
25
23
Feels °C
23
22
25
24
23
26
25
25
26
24
24
25
25
25
26
25
26
26
25
25
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Terra Mar:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Terra Mar surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


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.

Nearest locationNearest