Will we see this? Maybe, if you know where to look. Photo: Greg Viviani
Let the scramble begin. After a relatively fun run of winter swell from the northern Pacific, the south swell season is set to kick off a wee bit early this year with the first southern hemi bump of 2026 incoming the week of March 9.
According to Surfline, a run of swell is set to bless Southern California and beyond, with things really heating up Wednesday, March 11 as a three-foot south-southwest swell at 20 seconds ramps up, backed up by a west swell of a foot at 11 seconds, which could cross things up well for beachbreaks across the region. Local OC/SD County favorites like the Dirty Ol’ Wedge and the high-performance classic south of San Clemente (that’s hosting the 2028 Olympics) should light up, too. Oh, yeah, and your favorite Mexican and Central American haunts, if a strike mission is in your future. Oahu’s south shore should see a bump but conditions look iffy.
“Solid early season run kicks off the week of the 9th,” wrote Surfline, “as the NPAC plays second fiddle to the SPAC with fun zone swells.” (Read the full report here.)
That run of swell looks to continue into the following work week of March 16th.
Meanwhile, in the mountains, winter has finally made an appearance in the Pacific Northwest and Northern Rockies as the region received up to 18 inches this week, depending on location, in one of the coldest storms of the winter. According to PowderChasers, “the extended forecast brings a decent wave into the interior of British Columbia by Sunday that moves into the northern areas of the Rockies, from Tuesday-Friday next week. Significant snow and wind might blast the PNW with 2-5 feet of much-needed powder.”
All in all, a good week ahead for fun hogs everywhere.
