Clearwater Pass Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into what’s happening with the surf. I’ve had a look at the charts, and I gotta be honest with you – it’s looking pretty grim for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a bit of a flat spell on our hands. The forecast shows a long stretch of small, weak surf with hardly any energy behind it. The first recommendation isn’t until the morning of the 29th of July, and even then, it’s a tough sell. The combined energy of all swells directed here is a very weak 19, and that’s about as good as it gets for a while. For the next week, we’re looking at tiny waves, mostly under 3 ft, with short-period windswell that’s just not going to offer any real shape. The wind is a problem too, mostly onshore or cross-onshore out of the west or southwest, which is going to keep things choppy and messy.

The water temperature is sitting at 87° which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a wetsuit.

The only spot that’s even in the conversation is Clearwater Pass. But it’s a tough one. This break is a point break that rarely breaks, and when it does, it’s only for beginners. The swell direction is from the west-southwest, which is the optimum direction for the spot, but the size is just tiny – we’re talking 2 ft on the Wednesday morning of the 29th of July. Even if the wind is light onshore, the wave quality is listed as “poor.” The crowds are often an issue here, but with conditions this poor, I doubt many will be out.

Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st of July are more of the same – tiny, messy waves with the risk of thunderstorms. The combined energy peaks at a meager 40 on Thursday afternoon. This is not a time to get excited.

Moving into the first week of August, it goes from bad to worse. The weekend of the 2nd and 3rd offers nothing. The swell drops to 1 ft with a combined energy of just 10. The wind is cross-shore or cross-onshore, creating a nasty chop. By Tuesday the 4th of August, the swell is down to 1.0 ft, and while the morning might be glassy, there’s just no wave to ride.

The entire second week is a total write-off. From the 5th of August right through to the 13th, the swell is either flat or showing wave heights of 0.7 ft to 1.0 ft, with periods of 2-4 seconds. The combined energy is mostly single digits. There’s a brief moment on the 9th of August with a bit of a northwest swell delivering 2 ft, but it’s short period and the wind is onshore. It’s just not going to happen.

Honestly, for the next 16 days, there is nothing worth paddling out for. The consistency is non-existent, and the quality is terrible. The best you can hope for is a tiny, weak wave with a lot of wind. If you’re desperate, you might find something knee-high at Clearwater Pass on the 29th or 30th of July, but don’t hold your breath. For a spot like this, a blank run is pretty normal when the wind and swell don’t line up. The conditions are so poor and the wind so strong for the small swell that this setup might actually look more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. Keep the board in the car and wait for the next system.

This is Rusty, signing off.

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