Surf Forecasts:
Tijuana Sloughs surf forecast from 31 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 6 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 14s period, S swell with 2,722 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 4 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 18s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Tijuana Sloughs this week:
The surf forecast for Tijuana Sloughs over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Tijuana Sloughs in the next 16 days are 2.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 13s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 05) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Fri 4th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sat 5th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Sun 6th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tijuana Sloughs over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's get into it for the Tijuana Sloughs stretch. Honestly, the next couple of weeks are lookin' like a tricky run. We've got a solid pulse of swell coming, but the wind and the size are going to make it a game of picking your moment. It’s not all bad news though; there are a couple of windows where it could be pretty special.
Right off the bat, the water's sitting at a balmy 74°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year. You’ll be good in a spring suit or maybe just a top.
The first real chance to get wet comes on Sunday the 30th of August, but it's a bit of a tease. We’ve got a 3ft SSW swell with 14-second periods, a nice long period groundswell, pushing moderate wave energy (680). Problem is, it's blowing onshore with a light W breeze, so it'll be a bit lumpy. There's a mention of questionable tide, so it's a "maybe" at best. The next few days through to Thursday the 3rd of September are a write-off. Swell drops off to 2-2ft and the wind stays cross-onshore, creating poor, choppy conditions.
Now, Friday the 4th of September shows a little flicker. The swell bumps back up to 4ft from the SW, period stretching to 17 seconds. Combined energy is climbing to a strong 724. The wind swings onshore from the WSW, but it's light. Still, it's only rated as marginal.
The standout window, and what I'd be aiming for, is Saturday the 5th of September. We see the swell building to 5ft from the S early, hitting 5ft in the afternoon, with that lovely 14-second period. Combined energy jumps to a very strong 1329 and then 1442. The wind is the key – in the morning, it's glassy with an almost non-existent WSW breeze. The afternoon clocking around to a NNW cross-shore. It's a bit of a session for the patient, as the conditions are called marginal, but with that size, period, and light wind early, this is the best chance for a fun, clean wave at the Sloughs. If the tide lines up, grab it.
Sunday the 6th is a mix. We get a bigger 8ft S swell in the morning with strong NNE cross-offshore winds – the wave face will be clean. However, the energy is pumping at 2581. That's getting up there in size, into more expert territory. The afternoon gets wild with a 43 mph SSE gale, so that's a skip.
But the true big one, the one to mark on your calendar for the more experienced crew, is Monday the 7th of September. The forecast is for a massive 15ft S swell with 12-second period. The combined energy is an enormous 5573. The morning wind is a light NW cross-onshore. The notes say it might be too big for this break, which is a huge caveat. This is strictly for experts on big-wave gear, and you'd want to know the Sloughs inside out. The afternoon drops to 12ft with a moderate cross-onshore, still massive.
The rest of the run from Tuesday the 8th of September onward fades fast. The swell drops back down to 5ft and then to waist-high leftovers for the second week. Winds stay mostly cross-onshore or onshore. There are a few morning sessions on the 11th and 12th of September with a light onshore breeze and a 3ft SW groundswell, but the energy is weak to moderate, and it's hard to get excited about it.
So, to sum it up: it's a waiting game. Saturday the 5th of September is your best bet for a clean, solid session for most of you. For the big-dog crew, Monday the 7th of September could be a monster, but only if you've got the stones and the right board.
Stay safe and read the tide charts.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sun afternoon, min 21°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Wed afternoon, min 20°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | ||||||||||||||
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 | S 12 | S 12 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SSW 13 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
431 | 362 | 295 | 276 | 156 | 116 | 113 | 152 | 169 | 211 | 295 | 239 | 449 | 607 | 640 | 617 | 674 | 802 | 999 | 1597 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:12PM1.47m | 11:35AM1.64m | 11:57PM1.28m | 12:08PM1.65m | 00:56AM1.07m | 12:49PM1.63m | 2:35AM0.90m | 1:49PM1.59m | 5:50AM0.89m | 3:21PM1.57m | 7:13AM1.02m | 4:57PM1.64m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:12PM0.30m | 5:14AM0.27m | 6:00PM0.30m | 5:37AM0.43m | 6:59PM0.31m | 6:00AM0.60m | 8:19PM0.33m | 6:22AM0.77m | 10:05PM0.29m | 6:43AM0.91m | 11:42PM0.15m | 10:15AM0.99m | 00:46AM-0.01m | |||||||
— | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | |
7:15 | — | — | 7:14 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:12 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:08 | — | — | 7:07 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 24 | 24 | 26 |
Feels °C | 25 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 13 | WNW 6 | SSW 13 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 |
143 | 111 | 295 | 276 | 151 | 112 | 98 | 92 | 38 | 186 | 43 | 99 | 77 | 607 | 640 | 617 | 674 | 802 | 999 | 1597 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | SSW 13 | S 9 | SSW 13 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 18 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | SSE 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 16 |
431 | 362 | 84 | 62 | 52 | 41 | 113 | 40 | 93 | 211 | 295 | 239 | 449 | 48 | 84 | 58 | 304 | 512 | 425 | 539 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | S 13 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | S 8 | SSW 12 | SSW 10 | SSW 12 | SSW 10 | S 13 | S 13 | W 6 | W 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 13 |
106 | 161 | 253 | 158 | 156 | 116 | 80 | 152 | 169 | 5 | 153 | 92 | 125 | 40 | 87 | 125 | 24 | 15 | 18 | 17 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | — | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 38 | 40 | — | 37 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 242 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Baja Norte | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Tijuana Sloughs Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Tijuana Sloughs provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Tijuana Sloughs can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Tijuana Sloughs 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 (Tijuana Sloughs) 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 Tijuana Sloughs 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.
Tijuana Sloughs is 4 km (2 miles) from the city of Imperial Beach. If you plan a vacation in Baja Norte, look for hotels and other accommodation in Imperial Beach. Imperial Beach has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











