Lincoln City Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming our way for Lincoln City over the next couple of weeks.

The surf pattern kicks off with a bit of a slow start, but there’s some real firepower building as we head into the first weekend. The overall energy is moderate to strong at times, with a combined swell energy reading of 419 on Tuesday morning. The water is sitting at 56°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – about 3° cooler than average, so you’ll want a good wetsuit.

Tuesday is nothing special – a 4 ft NW swell at 9 seconds, but with a cross SSW wind, it’s just not clean enough to get excited about. The afternoon drops off even more. Wednesday sees a jump in size to 8 ft from the SSW, but it’s short-period stuff at 8 seconds, and the wind is cross-off in the morning – so it’s manageable but marginal. The combined energy is up to 1056, but it’s a bit raw for the average surfer.

Now, Thursday the 3rd is where things get interesting. That morning, we’ve got a solid 10 ft WNW swell with a long 12-second period – that’s proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy is a hefty 2614. Wind is light and cross-off from the SSE, keeping it clean. This is for experienced surfers only; 10 ft is big and powerful, especially with that long period. The afternoon drops to 8 ft but stays clean with light cross-off winds.

Friday the 4th is a treat – 5 ft WNW swell at 10 seconds, and the wind goes glassy from the SSE in the morning. That’s about as clean as it gets, and the energy is moderate at 608. This is a standout window for intermediate surfers who want clean, rideable waves without the heavy crowd pressure.

The weekend and into the following week sees the size drop off significantly. Saturday and Sunday (5th and 6th of September) have small 2 ft to 3 ft SW swells with very long periods of 15-16 seconds, but the wind is mostly glassy in the mornings. These are small, clean days for longboarders or beginners, but not much push. The combined energy is down around 350-488, so it’s weak.

From Monday the 7th through to Wednesday the 9th, it’s pretty flat and poor – swells under 3 ft and messy cross-onshore winds. Not worth paddling out for. There’s a gap of a few days here where the surf just isn’t doing anything.

Things start to pick up again on Thursday the 10th with a 5 ft NW swell at 11 seconds, but the wind is cross-onshore from the NNW – marginal at best. The energy is moderate at 819, but it’s not clean enough to call a standout.

The real hidden gem in the second week is Sunday the 13th. The morning brings a 5 ft NW swell at 10 seconds, combined energy of 571, and glassy conditions with zero wind from the west. That’s clean, rideable, and very appealing for a Sunday session. The following Monday afternoon (the 14th) also looks good – 5 ft WNW swell at 11 seconds, with glassy conditions again. That’s another quality window for intermediate surfers.

The rest of the second week holds small, marginal NW swells with mostly cross-onshore winds, so nothing to get too worked up about.

If I had to pick the best on offer, it’s Thursday the 3rd morning for the experienced crew – big, clean, and powerful. For the everyday surfer, Friday the 4th morning is your best bet – glassy, clean, and a fun 5 ft. The second week’s standout is Sunday the 13th morning – glassy and clean, with a solid 5 ft.

Stay safe out there, and don’t forget the warm wax.

Rusty.

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