Tijuana Sloughs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, this time in feet and miles for the imperial crew.

Lookin’ up the coast for Tijuana Sloughs, and I gotta be honest – it’s a grim run. The water’s cookin’ at 74°F, which is a full 6°F warmer than normal for August. That’s some real strange bathwater.

We got a massive dry spell. From Tuesday the 11th all the way through Sunday the 16th, it’s just poor conditions. Swell heights are tiny – 1ft to 4ft – and the wind is blowin’ onshore or cross-onshore the whole time, killin’ any chance of clean waves. The swell periods are long, up to 18 seconds, which would be sweet if the wind was off, but it’s not. The combined wave energy is low, mostly between 200 and 700 – weak to moderate, nothin’ worth paddlin’ for.

Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th? Same story. Poor surf, small swell, crummy wind. We’re talkin’ a solid 13-day stretch of junk. It’s not until Friday the 23rd that we see a flicker of “marginal” – a 2ft to 2ft SW groundswell at 18 seconds, but still with light cross-onshore breeze. Hardly a reason to wax the board.

Now for the one glimmer. On Saturday the 15th, the swell peaks at 4ft from the SSW with a 16-second period – that’s a legit long-period groundswell. The combined energy hits 734, which is moderate, and it’s the biggest pulse of the whole outlook. But dang it, the wind is cross-onshore from the WNW at 15 km/h (9 mph), keepin’ it bumpy. For a river mouth, that long-period SSW swell could line up a few peelers if the tide is right, but it’s a gamble. That’s your best bet, but I wouldn’t call it a standout.

There’s another little bump on Wednesday the 26th with 4ft SW swell at 16 seconds and energy at 783, but the wind’s cross-onshore again. More of a maybe than a certainty.

Bottom line: this is a slow, frustrating 16 days. The constant onshore wind and tiny swell mean you’re better off stayin’ home or checkin’ a different stretch. The forecasts can change, but right now, I’d say don’t hold your breath.

Rusty out.

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