Tijuana Sloughs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

First up, the overall picture. We’ve got a stretch of surfable, but not spectacular, conditions kicking off at Tijuana Sloughs, then it drops right off after the first week into a long, quiet spell. The start is all about a solid groundswell, but the wind isn’t playing ball, so it’s a bit of a mixed bag.

The opening session comes on Tuesday the 28th of July. Tijuana Sloughs is seeing a clean 5ft to 5ft SSW groundswell. The period is a beefy 17 seconds, so it’s a proper long-period groundswell that’ll wrap in nicely at this river mouth. The water is much warmer than usual for this time of year, sitting at 72°F, which is a proper anomaly. The downside is the wind. It’s a light cross-onshore breeze, 9 to 12 mph, so the surface will be a bit choppy. The combined energy is strong, hitting around 1235 to 1279, so there’s plenty of push, but that wind is keeping it from being a standout.

Wednesday the 29th is similar, with a touch less size, 4ft to 4ft, and still that cross-onshore wind. It’s surfable, but not clean.

Thursday the 30th is the best bet of the entire run, and it’s not a massive highlight, but it’s the one we’ve got. The morning shows offshore wind from the WSW at 6 mph, with a 4ft SSW swell at 15 seconds. That offshore, glassy wind will make for some clean lines on the tide. The energy is moderate (1045). It’s the most appealing window.

After that, the surf quality and size fade fast. Friday the 31st sees a pulse of 5ft to 5ft S swell, but the period drops to 13 seconds, and the wind, while technically offshore, is a bit inconsistent. Still, it might offer a few, but the guidance calls it marginal.

From Saturday the 1st of August through to Wednesday the 12th of August, it’s a long, drawn-out period of poor conditions. The swell drops below 3ft for the vast majority, often sitting at 1ft to 3ft, with long periods (up to 20 seconds) but very little energy. The combined energy drops well into the 100s and low 200s, which is weak. The wind is a mix of light cross-onshore and offshore, but with no decent swell, it doesn’t matter. There’s a real gap of about 11 days here where you’re just not going to get a wave worth paddling for at Tijuana Sloughs.

Honestly, the only window worth getting excited about is Thursday the 30th of July. It’s not a bomb, but with that offshore wind and a clean 4ft swell, it’s your only real chance. The rest of the run is a flat spell, par for the course when the consistency here is only "consistent". It won’t stay this way forever, but for the next couple of weeks, you’re better off waxing your longboard and dreaming.

Rusty, signing off.

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