Emma Wood State Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: this is a tough stretch for Emma Wood State Beach. We’ve got a full 16 days ahead, but don’t get your hopes up too early. There’s a real dry spell kicking off the whole period.

We start on Sunday, July 26th, with a tiny 2ft SSW swell, but it’s wrapped in a cross-on wind and the surf quality is just poor. The water is a whopping 70°F – that’s much warmer than normal for this time of year, almost 7°F above average, which is really unusual. But the waves? Not worth paddling out for. The combined energy is weak (321) and the period is a very long 19 seconds, which can make a beach setup like this a bit wonky.

The whole first week stays flat and fuzzy. Monday through Thursday, we’re stuck with the same story: 2ft to 3ft SSW swell, onshore winds, and energy levels that barely climb into the moderate range (321 to 461). The period stays long, between 15 and 19 seconds, but with the wind and lack of size, it’s just not happening. The week ends on Friday, July 31st, with 3ft S swell, period dropping to 13 seconds, but still poor conditions. The energy is moderate (340-381), but the wind is onshore.

We hit a real flat spell from August 1st through August 6th. Swell sizes drop to 0.5ft-2ft, energy levels crash into the weak zone (37 to 76), and winds are cross-on or onshore. This is a proper gap in the surf – almost a full week of nothing worth talking about.

Then, on Friday, August 7th, we see a glimmer. The morning brings a 1ft SSW swell, but the period jumps back to 19 seconds, and the energy climbs to 132 (weak). Still, the wind is onshore, and the surf is called poor. By the afternoon, we get 2ft at 19 seconds, energy at 190, but again, no clean conditions. This little pulse lasts through Saturday, August 8th, and Sunday, August 9th, with similar 2ft SSW swells, periods between 15-18 seconds, and energy in the 100-150 range. The winds are mixed, mostly onshore or cross-on.

The final calls on Monday, August 10th, are the same: 2ft SSW swell, energy barely hitting 100, and light cross-on winds. It’s a quiet end to the outlook.

So, what’s the best on offer? Honestly, there’s no standout. The consistent problem is the wind. Even when the swell is present, the onshore and cross-on winds ruin any chance of clean faces. The long periods (15-19 seconds) suggest some groundswell energy, but for a beach and reef setup like this, it often breaks too straight and doesn’t hold shape well. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, given the persistent cross-on wind and small, choppy conditions.

Hang in there, folks. It’s a flat spell, but the forecasts can change. Keep an eye on the horizon.

Rusty.

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