Lincoln City Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s take a look at what we’ve got coming up for Lincoln City. It’s a beach and reef setup, exposed to the west, so it picks up a decent amount of that northwest groundswell. We’ll see some pulses of energy, but the wind is going to be a constant partner in the conversation here. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing weird going on there.

Right out of the gate, on Monday the 14th, we have a real moment. The morning is looking like the best session of the whole run for a while. We’ve got a 4ft swell from the WNW, and crucially, it’s glassy with a reading of combined energy of all swells directed here at 309. The conditions are set for a clean, fun session. This is the standout for the first week. The afternoon sees the wind swing to a cross-shore 9 mph from the NNW and the quality drops off immediately.

Tuesday the 15th and Wednesday the 16th will be a struggle. The swell hangs around the 3ft to 4ft mark, but the wind stays cross-shore or worse, making for some lumpy, unappealing conditions. Nothing to get excited about there.

Thursday the 17th has a bit more size, around 5ft, but the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, so it’s going to be messy. The combined energy values climb up into the high hundreds (489 to 502), which tells you there’s power, but it’s just not clean.

Friday the 18th morning is another fleeting window. The swell is a solid 5ft from the NW, period is 8 seconds, and we get another glassy morning with combined energy at 477. A good session for those who can sneak out before lunch, but the wind turns cross-shore again by afternoon.

The weekend of the 19th and 20th is a bit of a write-off. Saturday afternoon sees a weird drop to a 2ft, 18-second, long-period SW swell. That’s a clean line, but it’s too small for Lincoln City to really work, and the wind is up to 16 mph and cross-shore.

The middle of the week from the 22nd onward is a mixed bag. Tuesday the 22nd morning has a 6ft WNW swell, 11-second period, and combined energy of 939. That is a lot of grunt, especially for intermediates. It might be a bit much for a beach and reef setup like this. The wind is cross-shore at 9 mph, so it won’t be glassy, but it’s a powerful option for experienced surfers only.

Now, the real standout of the entire 16-day forecast is Thursday the 24th. The morning has a clean 5ft swell from the WNW, a 10-second period, glassy conditions, and combined energy of 561. The forecast calls for 'expect very good surf conditions'. That’s the day to circle on the calendar. It’s about a week and a half out, so keep an eye on it, but that’s the one that looks best for everyone.

After that, Friday the 25th afternoon and Monday the 28th morning offer softer, glassy windows with 4ft swells from the NW. Nice, cleaner days for the longboard or a fun groveler. The 29th of September brings a long-period, 16-second, 4ft swell from the WNW with combined energy of 945, but it’s cross-shore wind again. That’s a lot of power and shape but the wind will spoil the party.

Overall, the forecast has long gaps of marginal conditions, but the mornings of the 14th, 18th, and especially the 24th are the true highlights. Getting out early is the key. This stretch is not for the kite surfers—the swell isn’t big enough to get them going, but the wave quality is there for a good paddle on those clean mornings.

Rusty.

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