Cliffs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s in store for Cliffs over the next couple of weeks.

Alright, straight up – the outlook is pretty grim for a solid stretch. We’re lookin’ at a long, quiet run with barely a whisper of decent surf. The first real chance of anything worthwhile doesn’t show up until the second week of August, so we’ve got a big gap of flat and poor conditions to sit through.

We start off on Thursday, July 30th with a tiny 2ft SSW groundswell, period a long 18 seconds, and a cross-off wind from the ENE at 12 mph. The combined energy is weak (378), and the water is sitting at 80°, which is pretty much average for this time of year – no big anomaly there. But honestly, it’s barely a ripple, and the call is marginal surf. Not worth paddling out for.

Then from Friday, July 31st all the way through to Sunday, August 9th, it’s just poor. The swell bumps up a bit on Saturday, August 1st morning with a 10ft E windswell, but the period is a short 8 seconds and the wind is howling cross-off at 28 mph. That’s raw, messy, blown-out junk – the combined energy hits 1578, but it’s all wind and chop. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one. Beginners, stay away – that’s expert territory and still ugly. The rest of that week is a mix of tiny 1ft to 2ft swells with cross-off winds, all rated poor. You’re not missing anything.

The first glimmer of hope comes on Monday, August 10th morning. We get a 3ft SSW groundswell with a 16-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 1294 – moderate. Wind is still cross-off from the ENE at 19 mph, but the wave comment says “marginal” rather than “poor,” which is a step up. The break is a beach-and-reef setup, so that long period groundswell might shape up okay on the reef, but it’s not a standout. It’s the best on offer, though, and it’s a week and a half away, so keep an eye on it.

After that, Tuesday, August 11th and Wednesday, August 12th are similar – 3ft to 3ft SSW and W swells, periods around 14-15 seconds, combined energy in the 400-500 range, and still cross-off winds. Marginal at best. Not a day to call in sick for.

So, overall, this is a tough run. The consistent cross-off winds and lack of any clean, well-sized swell mean we’re in for a long wait. The only real standout is that Monday, August 10th morning session, but it’s marginal and a long way off. Hang tight, forecasts can change, but right now it’s a quiet spell.

Rusty.

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