Torrance Beach/Burn Out Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's get into what's on the table over the next couple of weeks.

Straight off the bat, I gotta tell ya, it’s a bit of a slow start around here. The first week is looking pretty lackluster for surf, but the second half of the outlook is where things get interesting. For the beginners out there, the only spot we’re looking at is Torrance Beach/Burn Out, and it’s exposed to a WNW swell. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothin’ special there.

The next few days – Sunday the 23rd through Wednesday the 26th – are honestly a write-off. We’ve got tiny swell combined with onshore or cross-onshore winds, creating poor, choppy conditions. Wave energy is weak to moderate (199 down to 139). There’s just nothing worth paddling out for. It’s a dry spell for sure.

Thursday the 27th shows a hint of life with a clean cross-offshore wind in the morning, but the swell is barely 1 ft and the energy is weak (94). It's surfable, but it’s ordinary. You’d be working hard for small scraps.

Now, Friday the 28th is our first real stand-out. The morning is where it’s at. We’re expecting good surf conditions with a clean 2 ft SSW swell. The combined energy jumps to a moderate 221. That's the best looking session of the first week, but it’s still on the small side. The wind is a slight air from the SE – that’s a clean cross-offshore breeze for this break, making for some tidy little lines.

We then hit another patch of marginal surf over the weekend and into early next week. Swell nudges up a touch but stays messy with onshore winds, making it choppy and blown out.

Here’s where it gets proper. After a quiet start to September, Thursday the 3rd shows a promising morning. We get a clean cross-offshore breeze again with a 1 ft SSW groundswell. The combined energy is moderate (288), but the key here is the long period of 20 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy. These long lines will wrap in nicely but might be a bit too racy and straight for the beach break, so keep an eye on the tide. It’s an exciting prospect, but it’s a week out, so don’t hold me to it.

The absolute standout, the one to circle on the calendar, is Friday morning, September 4th. That morning session at Torrance Beach is looking excellent. The combined energy hits 515 – that’s strong wave energy. The swell is 3 ft from the SSW, which aligns well with the optimum direction for this spot, and the wind is a clean, gentle cross-offshore breeze from the SSE. The guidance rates this as 'very good' surf conditions. The crowd factor? It says ‘often’, so if the forecast holds, you better get out there early. This is the pick of the forecast.

Saturday the 5th keeps the 3 ft swell running but with light cross-shore winds, making it a bit more tricky. It’s still rideable for the experienced crew. After that, the swell starts to back off and the winds turn onshore again through the final weekend, taking the fizz out of it.

So, the call is: nothing doing until Friday the 28th morning for some small but clean waves. Then the real highlight is Friday the 4th of September in the morning – that’s the session to aim for. Everything else is for the patient or the optimist. The long wait looks like it’ll be worth it.

- Rusty

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