Tijuana Sloughs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, it’s Rusty. Let’s talk about the next couple of weeks. We’re looking at a long stretch of small, onshore slop, so don’t get too excited. The first real pulse of energy doesn’t show up until the second week, and it’s got a load of caveats.

Right now, and for the next several days, it’s pretty grim. The Tijuana Sloughs (river) are seeing a weak, 3ft swell from the SSW with a long 15-second period, but the wind is cross-on from the SW at 6 mph. The combined wave energy is weak at 544, and the water is sitting at 69°, a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. The conditions are just marginal, and the score is a dead zero for most of this period. Saturday the 11th through to the end of the following week is a write-off – tons of days with poor surf, onshore winds, and tiny swell. The swell drops to 2ft to 2ft, and the energy dips into the 200s and 300s. It’s a long, flat run.

The first thing that even looks like a wave comes on Saturday the 18th of July. The swell bumps up to 3ft from the SW with a solid 18-second period, and the energy jumps to 615 (moderate). The wind is onshore from the W at 9 mph, which is a killer for this river mouth. It’s still a marginal call, but it’s a step up from the nothing we’ve seen.

The standout, and I mean the only one worth talking about, is the morning of Sunday the 19th of July. Swell jumps to 5ft from the S, with a 14-second period. The combined energy hits 1334 (strong). That’s a proper pulse of energy. The problem? The wind is cross-on from the WNW at 9 mph, leaving it “fairly choppy.” For a river mouth that needs clean conditions, this is a bummer. It’s a 4ft to 5ft S swell, but the wind is just not playing ball. It’s the best on offer, but it’s not a classic. If you’re an expert and can handle the chop, it’s your window. The swell direction from the S is a bit off from the optimum WSW, so it won’t be perfectly lined up.

After that, Monday the 20th drops back to 3ft and the energy halves. The rest of the period is small again, with the next minor bump on Saturday the 25th of July showing 4ft from the S, but with a short 12-second period and cross-on winds. It’s not worth circling on the calendar.

Honestly, this is a tough one. The consistency is poor, and the winds are constantly messing up the setup. It’s the kind of run where you’re better off checking the cams than driving out. For now, the 19th of July morning is your best and only real shot, but keep your expectations low.

Rusty.

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