Tijuana Sloughs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you. We’re looking at a pretty bleak stretch ahead for Tijuana Sloughs. If you were hoping for a proper swell, you’re going to be disappointed for a while. The next 16 days are looking like a whole lot of small, weak, and choppy surf.

We’re starting off with a long, flat spell. From now until at least the 21st, conditions are going to be pretty tough. The swell is small and the wind is mostly cross-onshore, which is just going to mess up what little waves we have. The water is sitting at 72°, which is a touch warmer than average for this time of year, so at least it’ll be comfortable while you’re staring at the ocean. The wave energy is weak, with readings mostly in the 400s and 500s – that’s just not enough push to get anything decent breaking at a river mouth like this.

The first couple of days aren't even worth a look. We're talking poor surf with a gentle cross-onshore breeze and some chop. It won't be until around the 21st that we even get a marginal call, and even then, it’s just not good. The swell direction is from the SSW, but it’s small, around 2ft, with a short period of 13 seconds. It’s a “maybe if you’re desperate” situation, not a “grab your board” one.

The weekend of the 23rd and 24th stays marginal. We’re still looking at tiny swell, mostly 2ft, with periods that are just not consistent. The wind stays light, but it’s cross-onshore, so it’s not going to be glassy. The energy drops too – some readings dip into the 300s and 400s, which is weak. This is a time to do something else.

The last few days of August into the first days of September finally show a little life. Around the 27th, there's a bit of a bump in energy, hitting 519, and the period is a bit shorter at 12 seconds. It’s still a marginal call, not great. But the standout, if you can call it that, is the 29th. We finally see the swell push to 4ft from the SW with a 16-second period. The combined energy also jumps up to around 690 – that’s the strongest we’ve seen in this whole forecast. The wind is light, but it’s still cross-onshore from the WSW. This is the only day that looks like it could produce something rideable, but it’s still going to be a grindy, Sectiony day at a river mouth, and with that period, it might be breaking a little too straight. It’s promising, but it’s over a week away, so don't hold your breath. Everything after that fades back to marginal.

So, in short: keep your expectations low. There's one day, the 29th, that looks like it might be worth a paddle, but it’s not a guaranteed classic. Get out there if you're keen, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Rusty.

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