Lincoln City Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for Lincoln City over the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, the start of the period is a tough one. The surf is tiny and the winds are messy. It’s a bit of a slow burn, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. The water is currently sitting at 49°F, which is a massive 10°F colder than usual for this time of year. That’s way colder than normal, so a thick wetsuit is an absolute must if you’re even thinking about getting in.

We start off on Thursday, 30 July. The morning has a faint 3ft SW swell rolling in, but it’s coming from a long 16-second period. The wind is cross-onshore, so it’s a bit bumpy. The combined energy is moderate at 407. Honestly, it’s not great. The afternoon gets worse with a stronger cross-onshore breeze, so don’t bother.

Friday, 31 July, is more of the same. The morning swell drops to 2ft, still a long period, but the wind is still cross-onshore. It’s small and choppy. The afternoon sees a slight bump in size to 4ft, but the period drops to 8 seconds and the wind is still messy. It’s a pass.

Saturday, 1 August, the morning is tiny again at 2ft with a cross-shore wind. The energy is weak at 270. The afternoon improves slightly to 3ft, but it’s still not clean. Sunday, 2 August, has a bit more size at 4ft in the morning, but with a strong cross-onshore wind, it’s choppy. The afternoon gets a bit bigger at 5ft, but the wind is up to 16 mph, making it a mess.

We go through a whole week of this, with poor quality surf and mostly cross-onshore winds. The swell is on the small side, and the wind is just never cooperating. It’s looking pretty grim. There’s a gap of several days with no real quality surf to recommend.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The real standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is Saturday, 8 August. The morning session at Lincoln City is looking like the best bet of the whole forecast. The swell is a solid 8ft from the NW, with a nice 10-second period. The wind is from the west at only 3 mph, so it’s nearly glassy. That’s a huge plus, it’ll be clean. The combined wave energy is very strong at 1516. That’s a lot of power. Just be aware, at 8ft, this is only for experienced surfers. It’s too big for beginners. The break is a beach and reef setup, so that long-period groundswell might be a bit fast and straight on the beach, but the reef could offer some good lines. Also, the crowds can show up sometimes, so be ready to share.

The morning of Friday, 7 August, also has potential with a 7ft NW swell, light cross-onshore wind, and moderate energy at 851, but it’s not as clean as the Saturday morning.

After that weekend, the size drops off again. The second week is a mixed bag of small, choppy waves and cross-onshore winds. Thursday, 14 August, has a 4ft NW swell, but the wind is up and it’s cross-shore, so it’s still not great.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a write-off. Get your gear ready and mark your calendar for the morning of Saturday, 8 August. That’s your window. It’s a bit of a wait, but it looks like it could be worth it.

Rusty.

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