Tijuana Sloughs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and let’s have a look at what’s coming up. The forecast for Tijuana Sloughs has a bit of a slow start, but if you’re patient and know what you’re doing, there’s a day or two that could be pretty special.

Right now, the water is sitting at 74° which is much warmer than normal for this time of year. A good 5° above the long-term average, so you can leave the full wetsuit at home and enjoy a bit of a tropical feel.

The first few days aren’t much to write home about. Sunday the 30th has small 4 ft swell from the SSW with a 15-second period, but the wind is cross-on from the WSW at 6 mph, making it messy. The combined wave energy is 673 (moderate), but the conditions are marginal. Monday and Tuesday are similar – small, onshore, not worth paddling out for. Wednesday through Friday stay in the same boat: small swell, cross-onshore winds, and poor quality. There’s a bit of a gap here with no real recommendations.

Saturday the 5th shows a little more pulse. Swell picks up to 4 ft from the SSW, 16-second period, with light winds. The energy is moderate (952) and the wind is light cross-onshore, so it’s not perfect, but it’s a step up.

Then we get to Sunday, September 6th – the swell builds to 6 ft from the S with a 14-second period, but the wind is cross-on from the NW at 12 mph, making it choppy. The energy jumps to 1539 (strong), but the conditions are poor. Definitely not the highlight.

Now, Monday, September 7th is a wild card. The swell is still 6 ft from the SSW, but the wind swings around to the SSE at 34 mph, blowing cross-offshore. That’s a near gale, and even though it says “clean,” that kind of wind strength is going to make it a battle. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one.

The real standout comes on Tuesday, September 8th. The morning has 8 ft swell from the SSW, 14-second period, with light WNW winds at 6 mph. That’s a lot of water, and the energy is 2611 (very strong). This is expert territory – anything over 8 ft is only for the brave. The afternoon gets even bigger: 12 ft from the SW with a 13-second period, energy at 4188 (very strong), and the wind is moderate cross-onshore. The forecast says the wind and tide are favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. So if you’re an expert and you know the Sloughs, Tuesday morning could be something special, but you’ll want to pick your moments carefully.

After that, the swell drops quickly. Wednesday the 9th sees 5 ft and then 3 ft, with poor conditions again. The rest of the second week into September 14th stays small and messy, with waves between 2 ft and 4 ft, mostly from the SW or WNW, and cross-onshore winds. Nothing to get excited about.

So, bottom line: the first week is mostly a write-off, but if you’re an experienced surfer, Tuesday, September 8th is the one to watch. It’s big, powerful, and only for the brave. The rest of the 16 days is pretty quiet.

Rusty.

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