Lincoln City Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s shaping up for Lincoln City.

Truth be told, the next 16 days start off pretty flat and messy. The first week or so is mostly small, weak, and plagued by onshore or cross-shore winds. There’s a significant gap with no real recommendations until the second week when things finally start to pulse. The first real window of interest doesn’t appear until Sunday, August 23rd, and even then it’s brief.

Let’s start with the only early standout. On Sunday, August 23rd, the morning is your best bet. The wind goes totally glassy, zero breeze, and we’ve got a 4ft swell from the WNW. It’s a short period at 8 seconds, so it’s more wind swell than groundswell, but the combined energy is moderate (261). That glassy condition is a major win for clean surf. The afternoon gets chopped up by a NNW cross-breeze, so get out early.

From there, we hit a dry spell. The rest of that week and into the next is a slog of tiny 1ft to 2ft surf, mostly from the SW with onshore or cross-onshore winds. The combined energy dips into the 100s and 200s, which is weak. It’s basically a long stretch of poor conditions with no real standouts for a paddle.

The real story comes in the second week, starting Monday, September 1st. The swell picks up, and we see a jump in height. By Tuesday, September 2nd morning, we’ve got 5ft from the west, with a moderate combined energy of 571. The wind is a cross-shore NNW breeze, which isn’t perfect but keeps things rideable. This is getting into intermediate territory, but it’s a bit too big for beginners.

The standout of the entire outlook is Friday, September 4th morning. We’re looking at a solid 7ft from the WNW with a period of 11 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 1115, which is strong. The wind is a light cross-onshore from the WNW, so it’s a little bumpy, but at that size and period, you’re getting proper groundswell. This is expert territory, though – over 8ft, it’s for skilled riders only. The longer period means better shaped waves and longer gaps between sets, which is good for paddle-outs. Be aware, with that size and a beach/reef setup, it could get a bit unruly. The following Saturday morning, September 5th, also has a 7ft swell from the NW, but with a shorter 10-second period and a bit less energy (990), still good for the experienced.

So, bottom line: forget the first week. The best on offer is Friday, September 4th morning for the big stuff, but it’s only for experts. For a cleaner, smaller option, Sunday, August 23rd morning is the only really glassy session of the whole run.

Rusty.

Read more