Emma Wood State Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you—it’s a tough run. The only break worth talking about is Emma Wood State Beach, and even then, it’s a real struggle.

For the first few days, from Friday the 17th through to Sunday the 20th, we’re looking at tiny, weak swell. Swell heights are barely scraping 1.0ft, with a long period around 17 to 19 seconds, which would normally be exciting, but there’s just no energy behind it. The combined swell energy is sitting between 119 and 287, which is weak to moderate at best, but with those poor surf conditions flagged across the board, it’s not worth paddling out. Winds are light and variable, mostly onshore or cross-onshore, which doesn’t help.

Monday the 21st and Tuesday the 22nd see a slight bump in size, up to 3ft, but it’s still marginal. The swell direction shifts to SSW, and the period drops to 12-13 seconds. The energy picks up a bit (368 on Tuesday morning), but the forecast calls it marginal at best. The wind stays light and onshore, so you’re looking at soft, unappealing waves.

From Wednesday the 23rd right through to the end of the month, it’s a similar story. Swell heights hover around 1ft to 3ft, with periods ranging from 14 to 19 seconds. The combined energy climbs into the 300s and 400s, even hitting 631 on the 28th, which is moderate energy, but the wave comment is consistently “poor surf conditions.” There’s a persistent cross-onshore wind, mainly from the WSW, creating chop and making it messy. The water temperature is 67°F, which is 5°F warmer than normal—much warmer than usual for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick wetsuit, but that’s the only bright spot.

The best bet in this whole 16-day window is probably the morning of Thursday the 31st of July. You’ve got a 3ft swell from the south, period of 15 seconds, and combined energy of 521. It’s still only rated as “marginal”, and the wind is light and onshore, but it’s the closest we get to something rideable. Even then, it’s not a standout; it’s just the least bad option.

Overall, there’s a long gap of poor to marginal surf from the 17th right through to the 1st of August. This is a beach and reef setup, so with the small size and onshore wind, it’s more likely to be interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Nothing here is consistent or quality. Don’t get your hopes up, but forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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