Chadbourne Gulch Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for Chadbourne Gulch over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – the surf forecast is mostly on the marginal side, and we’ve got a few days right now with nothing worth paddling out for. The first decent surf recommendation pops up on Sunday, July 5, but even then it’s nothing flash. The water temp is sitting at 53.4°F, which is about 1.8°F colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a good thick wetsuit.

Sunday the 5th starts with a weak, short‑period NW swell at 4.3 ft and 8 seconds, but the wind is cross‑onshore from the SW at 6.2 mph, so it’s bumpy. The combined swell energy is 594 – that’s weak. Afternoon sees a drop to 2.6 ft from the SSW with a really long 18‑second period, which sounds nice in theory, but wind is onshore and there’s no score to back it up. Not worth getting excited about.

Monday the 6th and Tuesday the 7th stay small: 2.3–3.0 ft from the SSW, long periods (16–20 seconds), but the wind stays mainly cross‑onshore from the WNW at 6.2 mph. Combined energy ticks up to over 1000 on Tuesday morning (1219), but the waves are still only marginal – small and messy. Not a standout.

Wednesday the 8th morning is another nothing show, but by afternoon the swell jumps to 8.2 ft from the NW with a short 8‑second period, cross‑onshore NW wind at 9.3 mph, and wave energy at 1518 – moderate. That’s a bit of size but messy. Thursday the 9th and Friday the 10th see similar afternoon pulses: 8.2 ft NW short‑period swell, same cross‑onshore wind. Saturday the 11th continues the pattern with 5.6–7.2 ft NW short‑period swell, but still cross‑onshore. All of these days are recommended as marginal or poor, so don’t get your hopes up.

Now, the best stretch of surf in the whole window actually falls on Wednesday the 15th and Thursday the 16th. On Wednesday afternoon, a 7.9 ft NW swell (7 seconds) rolls in, the wind drops to almost nothing – slight air from the WNW at 3.1 mph – and the wave energy is 1093. It gets a little better on Thursday the 16th: morning shows 7.5 ft NW swell (8 seconds) with cross‑onshore light breeze and energy of 2104 – that’s strong, borderline very strong. But the real gem is Thursday afternoon: same 7.5 ft NW swell, but the wind goes glassy from the WSW at 3.1 mph. The wave comment calls it “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers,” and the score is the highest of the entire forecast. This is the one to aim for. That 7.5 ft is over 6 ft, so it’s expert territory. Keep in mind this swell is short‑period, so it won’t have the long‑lined up walls of a groundswell, but glassy conditions on a NW swell here at Chadbourne Gulch should produce clean, punchy waves.

After that, Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th see a drop to 3.3–3.6 ft from the WNW with longer periods (16–17 seconds) and moderate energy, but winds are cross‑onshore again. Sunday the 19th onward fades to 2.0–3.0 ft and poor conditions. Not worth a special trip.

So, if you’re an experienced surfer, get in the water on Thursday the 16th afternoon. That’s the standout. The rest of the period is mostly small, bumpy, or both. Hang in there.

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