Lincoln City Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what’s shaping up for Lincoln City. Honestly, it's a mixed bag and we’re going to have to be patient. The first week or so is looking pretty average, but there's a big pulse of energy coming our way in the second week that could be worth waiting for. Keep in mind, the water temp is running close to average for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

We kick off on Thursday, the 30th of July, with a weak, super long-period groundswell from the southwest. The waves are tiny at 3 ft, but that 16-second period is a sign of real energy, giving the swell a combined energy reading of 407 (moderate). The morning wind is light offshore from the WNW, so there might be a few clean lines, but it's marginal at best. By the afternoon, the wind swings and gets messy, so don't expect much.

Friday and the weekend are much the same story – small, inconsistent surf with a persistent cross-onshore breeze. We’re looking at 2 ft to 3 ft waves with short to moderate periods. The wind is light, but it's never clean offshore, so the surface is going to be bumpy. There's not much to get excited about.

Monday the 3rd through to Wednesday the 5th of August sees the swell size bump up a bit, hitting 5 ft to 8 ft, but the period drops right off to a weak 7 to 9 seconds. That’s short-period, choppy stuff. The wind is blowing cross or cross-onshore, so it’s going to be a messy, blown-out affair. Honestly, with those conditions and the beach-and-reef setup, this might look more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer.

Now, hold onto your board. The real action, and what I'd call a standout for experts, looks to be on Saturday the 8th of August. The swell pumps up to a solid 10 ft from the NW, with a period of 10 seconds. The combined wave energy jumps into the very strong range at 1693. This is a big, powerful swell. The morning has light cross-onshore winds, which isn't perfect, but it’s manageable. However, at 10 ft, this is strictly for experienced surfers only – way too big for beginners. The days just before and after, from the 6th to the 9th, are also good, with waves around 7 ft to 8 ft and light winds, offering the best windows for intermediate crew if you pick your tides.

A few other days in the second week, like the 11th and 12th of August, have waves in the 5 ft to 6 ft range but with very short periods (6-8 seconds) and cross-onshore wind, so the quality won't be there.

The long-range stuff out to Friday the 14th of August looks like it fades off again into small, weak swell. So, in short: suffer through the first week, and circle Saturday the 8th on your calendar if you’ve got the skills for a big, challenging day. The rest is just waiting for the next pulse.

Rusty.

Read more