Ano Nuevo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this 16-day window is a tough one for Ano Nuevo. We’ve got a long stretch of pretty ordinary conditions ahead, so don’t be holding your breath for any magic.

The pattern for the whole outlook is dominated by cross-shore winds and only marginal or poor surf, with a lot of messy, lumpy conditions. The water temperature is sitting at 60°F, which is about 4° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s a notable anomaly, meaning the water is feeling properly warm for July.

We’re looking at a gap of over a week with no real surf to get excited about. From Thursday 16 July right through to Monday 20 July, it’s all poor surf conditions with cross-shore winds and short-period, weak swell. The energy is moderate at best, with the combined swell energy reading between 556 and 570 on the 16th, and the swell is a weak 5 ft to 5 ft from the WNW at just 8 seconds. That’s nothing to write home about.

Friday 17 July and Saturday 18 July are more of the same – cross-shore winds, poor surf, and a messy sea state. The swell height stays around 4 ft to 6 ft, but the period is still short, and the wind is ruining any chance of clean waves. The combined energy bumps up to 997 on Friday morning, but it’s all messy.

Sunday 19 July offers a bit of a shift with a longer period of 15 to 17 seconds from the SW, but the swell is tiny at 2 ft to 3 ft, and the cross-shore wind keeps it from being anything special. The energy is still moderate, with readings around 539 to 952.

Monday 20 July is the first day we see a marginal surf forecast, with a 4 ft S swell at 13 seconds and a light WNW breeze, but it’s still cross-shore. The combined energy is 628 – moderate, but the quality is questionable. It’s not a day to rush out for.

From Tuesday 21 July through to Thursday 30 July, the pattern is dull: most days are poor, with a few marginal mornings. The swell is mostly from the SSW and S, with periods creeping up to 14 to 24 seconds, but the heights are tiny – under 3 ft for most of it. The winds are nearly always cross-shore or cross-on, and the water is choppy. The combined energy values are all over the place, from 297 up to 2091, but the wave quality is consistently poor.

The only real standout in this entire outlook – and I mean the only one – is Saturday 25 July morning. We’ve got a 5 ft S swell with a 14-second period, and the combined energy is a strong 2091. That’s a decent amount of energy for a sheltered spot, but the catch is it’s still cross-shore with a moderate breeze from the NW at 12 mph. The swell direction is from the S, which is close to the optimum SW direction for Ano Nuevo, so it might have a bit of shape. Still, it’s only a marginal forecast, and the wind is not ideal. It’s a possible early session for the patient and experienced surfer only – the 5 ft is manageable, but the cross-shore chop will keep it from being clean.

After that, the last few days of July and into August are all poor again, with tiny swell and strong cross-shore winds. The 24th and 25th have some very long-period swells (24 seconds), but the heights are only 2 ft, and the wind is fresh – that’s a recipe for a straight, weak wave that’s hard to ride.

Bottom line: There’s no epic surf on offer here. If you’re desperate, maybe paddle out on Saturday 25 July morning, but don’t expect magic. The rest of the window is a write-off. Stay tuned, forecasts can change, but as it stands, Ano Nuevo is a quiet place for a while.

Rusty.

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