Emma Wood State Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s be straight with you. This 16-day window is looking pretty bleak for Emma Wood State Beach. I’ve had a look at the charts and honestly, there’s nothing here that’s going to get me out of bed before dawn. We’re talking about a run of small, weak surf from now all the way through to the end of the month. The waves are going to be there, but they’re going to be tiny – not the kind of thing you’d want to paddle out for unless you’re just learning and want to practice popping up in mush.

The energy in the water is mostly weak to moderate, with the combined swell energy sitting anywhere from the low 80s up to the mid-200s (like 168, 208, 236). That tells you there’s not a lot of push behind anything. The swell heights are the real story here – they’re all under 3 feet. Most mornings you’re looking at around 1 to 2 feet, and even the slightly better days, like the 13th and 14th, only show 3 to 3 feet. The swell direction is mostly from the west, swinging around to the southwest and south-southwest as we move through the period. That’s the right direction for this spot, but with such small waves, it doesn’t do a whole lot.

Now, the wind is mostly light, which is a good thing. On most days, you’ll have a light breeze out of the southwest or west-southwest, and the conditions look like they’ll be clean enough, especially in the mornings. The afternoons get a bit of a cross-onshore component that can chop things up a little, but nothing major. For the first spot we’re talking about, Emma Wood State Beach, the water temperature is sitting at 72° with an anomaly of 8° – that’s much warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick wetsuit.

But here’s the kicker – every single wave comment in this forecast says "poor surf conditions." That’s the whole window, from the 13th through the 28th. There’s no standout day. No day where a groundswell arrives to save the week. Even though the period lengthens into the high teens later in the month – that’s your longer-period swell, up to 19 or 20 seconds – it’s only pushing 1 to 2 feet. Long period, tiny height. That can be a bit of a tease around here, especially at a beach-and-reef set up like Emma Wood. Those long lines might break a bit too straight or just not have the grunt to stand up.

There is a few days later on, around the 28th, where the energy gets a bit more consistent and the swell swings to the southwest, but even then, you’re looking at 2 feet with moderate energy readings of 223 and 202. It’s still not enough to call it a good surf.

So, here’s my honest take: there are no good surf options in this 16-day window for this spot. If you’re absolutely desperate for a paddle, the early mornings where the wind is light and the water is smooth will give you the cleanest, though smallest, waves. But if you’re looking for something with a bit of push, you’re going to be disappointed. The good news is that this spot is fairly consistent – it may be small, but it’s not flat. This kind of run isn’t unusual for the area, and forecasts can change, so don’t lose hope for the long range just yet. I’ll be watching for anything bigger to swing in.

Stay patient, keep the board waxed, but maybe find something else to do this week.

Rusty.

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