Tijuana Sloughs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s happening at Tijuana Sloughs over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, so let’s get into it.

This spot is for advanced surfers only, no doubt about it. The outlook is honest: we’ve got a pulse of solid swell this week, but the wind and the break itself have some serious conditions to navigate.

We start off this Sunday morning, the 26th of July. There’s some swell hitting, a 4ft SW swell with a long 19-second period. That’s proper groundswell, and (898) combined energy. But the wind is light cross-on from the SW, so it won’t be glassy clean. The water is a warm 72°, which is over 4° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s a notable bump. The surf here is described as "marginal" with questionable tide conditions, so it’s not the day to get too excited.

Monday the 27th looks a touch better. We’ve got a pulse picking up to 5ft from the SW, still with a long 18-second period and (1279) moderate-to-strong energy. The wind stays light cross-on from the SW. The break is a river mouth, and with such long-period swell, it can sometimes stand up too straight, but for an advanced crew, there could be some deep water shapes. Still, the forecast calls it marginal.

Tuesday the 28th holds similar size at 4ft, but the period drops to 17 seconds. The combined energy is still big at (1168). In the afternoon the wind picks up to a gentle breeze, so it gets a bit choppier. Not ideal.

The best of the bunch looks like Thursday the 30th. Swell height pushes to 6ft from the S, with a shorter 14-second period. That’s a solid size, but with the shorter period, the waves might be a bit steeper and faster. The combined energy hits its peak at (1325), which is strong. The wind is light cross-on in the morning at 6 mph. For a river mouth, this could be a standout session for experienced surfers only, as 6ft is already in the "too big for beginners" territory. If you’re advanced, this is your window.

Friday the 31st still has some juice, 6ft from the S in the morning with a period of 13 seconds. The wind actually turns straight onshore from the W, which could clean things up a little. That’s a promising morning. The afternoon gets a bit messy with a WNW cross-on again.

After that, the wheels come off. From Saturday the 1st of August onward, the swell quickly drops into the 2ft to 3ft range, and by Sunday the 2nd, we’re looking at "poor surf conditions". The combined energy plummets to under 300, and the period is all over the place—some short 8-second junk, some longer but tiny.

We go through a long stretch of flatness. From the 2nd of August right through to the 10th of August, there’s nothing doing. The swell barely cracks 3ft, the energy is weak (often below 200 to 300), and the surf is consistently described as "poor" or "marginal" at best. That’s a solid 8-day gap where you’d be better off waxing your longboard and staring at the horizon.

Even the last few days we look at, the 7th through the 10th of August, show tiny groundswell pulses but nothing rideable – 2ft to 3ft and combined energy that never hits 500. It’s a bust for paddle surfing. Honestly, with the wind being cross-on and the waves so small, this stretch would be far more interesting for kiteboarders than for anyone with a surfboard.

So the takeaway? The standout is Thursday the 30th of July for the biggest, most powerful swell, but be ready for a tricky river mouth and only if you’re experienced. After that, it’s a long quiet stretch. Keep an eye on the forecasts, because this area can turn around, but as it stands, you’ve got one good day and then a whole lot of nothing.

Rusty.

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