Tijuana Sloughs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, looking at the next couple of weeks for the Tijuana Sloughs. Let’s be straight with each other: it’s a quiet run, not much to get the heart pumping. We don’t have a single standout day that screams "go now", but there are a couple of windows where things might line up if you’re patient.

The first proper look we get is on Thursday, the 27th of August. Morning shows a clean, clear sky with a light cross-on wind of 6 mph. There’s swell running at 4 ft from the South, with a period of 11 seconds. The combined energy coming in is moderate at 559, but the report says the surf is marginal and tides might be tricky. It’s honestly a "maybe" session, not something to rush for.

We then hit a long, flat, poor stretch. From Friday the 28th through to Monday the 7th of September, the surf flickers between 2 ft and 4 ft, but it’s plagued by cross-on winds, a lot of onshore flow, and very poor or marginal conditions. There’s not a single morning or afternoon in that stretch that breaks a score of 2 out of 10. It's a tough run, with moderate energy levels (often 252 to 869) but just messy, chopped-up surf that’s hard to enjoy. This is a real lull.

The next potential bright spot appears on the 7th of September, Monday afternoon. The wind drops to glassy – that’s a big deal. It’s only 3 mph and glassy, with a light cross-onshore. The swell is a small 3 ft from the SSW at 14 seconds, and the combined energy is 374. It’s not big, but glassy conditions at the Sloughs will give you the cleanest, prettiest little walls you’ll get in this window. The report says "expect good surf conditions", and for this period, that’s the best we have.

After that, into the second week, we see a bit more energy on the 3rd of September (Thursday) when the afternoon swell hits 5 ft from the SSW at 14 seconds, with a moderate 1268 combined energy. That’s a lot more punch, but the wind is cross-on at 9 mph, making it choppy. It’s a powerful, messy wave – better for a strong paddler than a smooth glide.

The 4th of September (Friday) morning also has some potential: 3 ft from the SSW with a long 17-second period and a light onshore wind. The combined energy is 893. That long period will mean longer lulls between sets, but the wave quality should be better if you’re willing to wait. But the wind is onshore, so it won’t be perfect.

Overall, the best on offer is that glassy Monday afternoon on the 7th of September. If you’re after the most power, the 3rd of September afternoon has the biggest punch, but you’ll have to deal with the chop.

The water on the 27th of August was 73°F, which is 4° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s a noticeably warm bath.

Signing off, Rusty.

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