Lincoln City Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s your local surf reporter Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Lincoln City over the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a real mixed bag coming up, with the first chunk of the forecast looking pretty flat and uninviting. The surf’s just not there for a while, and we’re looking at a long stretch of marginal and poor conditions. The waves that do show up in the early days are tiny, mostly around 2 ft, with a long 16-second period from the SW. That’s a groundswell, but it’s just got no punch. The combined swell energy is weak, sitting between 181 and 260 (moderate energy) for the first few days, but it’s not translating into anything rideable. The wind is mostly a light cross-onshore, which is just enough to mess up the surface.

From the 26th of August right through to the 31st, it’s a tough stretch. The waves are small, the wind is never clean, and the water temperature is a frigid 48°F, which is a whopping 12°F colder than usual for this time of year. That’s a serious anomaly, so you’ll need a thick wetsuit and a lot of patience. There’s a bit of a jump on the 1st of September, with a short-period 4 ft NW swell showing up, but the wind is a messy cross-on, and the quality is still poor. The combined energy bumps up to 321 (moderate), but it’s not going to be fun.

The real change comes around the 3rd of September. We start to see some proper size building, with a WNW swell hitting 6 ft on the morning of the 3rd, and pushing to 6 ft in the afternoon. The combined energy jumps to 791 and 812 (strong wave energy). The wind is still a bit of a problem, though, with a moderate cross-shore chop on the afternoon. It’s not perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction.

The 4th and 5th of September continue to offer 5 ft to 5 ft NW swells, with combined energy around 494 to 629 (strong wave energy). The wind is light cross-onshore, which is okay, but there’s that slight chop. The morning of the 5th has a slight air and a 10-second period, but it’s still marginal.

Now, if you can hold out, the standout window is the morning of Monday the 7th of September. This is the one to circle on the calendar. We’ve got a solid 8 ft NW swell rolling in, with a period of 10 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 1711 (very strong wave energy). The real kicker is the wind: a light offshore from the NE. That’s going to clean things up nicely, and the report says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” This is big, powerful, and clean. It’s going to be a proper session, but this size is for experts only. The water is cold, but the conditions will be worth it.

The morning of Tuesday the 8th of September is also a good one, with a 6 ft NW swell, a moderate combined energy of 693 (strong wave energy), and a glassy wind. That’s a rare treat, and it’ll be clean and fun for intermediate surfers. After that, the swell starts to fade back down into the 5 ft range, and the wind turns cross-on again, so the quality drops off.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. The best session on offer is the morning of the 7th of September at Lincoln City, with that big, clean, offshore swell. It’s a powerful, expert-only day. The morning of the 8th is a close second, with glassy conditions and a more manageable size. The crowds are possible at Lincoln City, but with conditions like that, it’ll be worth the company.

Rusty.

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