Lincoln City Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s cookin’ at Lincoln City over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a slow start, and we’ve got a few rough days to wade through before the ocean gives us a proper smile.

The first real chance to get wet kicks off on Monday the 31st of August, but it’s nothing to write home about. We’re looking at a weak 2 ft swell on Monday morning, coming from the SW with a long period of 15 seconds. The combined energy is a moderate 255 — it’s weak, but that long period groundswell might wrap in better at a reef setup. It’s a beach and reef mix here, so you might find a sneaky one if you pick your spot, but the wind is light offshore, so it’ll be glassy. Still, the conditions are marginal, so don’t expect much. That Monday afternoon sees a bump to 4 ft from the NW, but the wind goes cross-on and it gets a bit bumpy.

Tuesday the 1st and Wednesday the 2nd are write-offs for me. The wind is all over the shop, with cross-shore and onshore junk, and Wednesday brings 30 km/h winds and heavy rain. The swell jumps to 8 ft on Wednesday morning, but with a short period of 7 seconds, it’s just a messy, lumpy wall. That afternoon sees 10 ft from the SSW, but it’s onshore and sloppy — that’s expert-only territory, and even then, it’s not pretty.

Thursday the 3rd stays marginal, with risk of thunderstorms and a 6 ft morning swell from the WNW. The wind is light but cross-on, so you’ll be fighting some chop.

Now, here’s where we get a proper standout. Friday the 4th of September is the pick of the whole run. Friday morning brings a glassy, clean session with a 6 ft WNW swell, a period of 10 seconds, and moderate combined energy of 882. The water temperature is about average for the time of year. The wind is straight glassy — light and offshore — and the forecast is for “very good surf conditions.” It’s not too big for most surfers, but that 6 ft will have some punch on the sets. If you can paddle out early, this is the one.

Saturday the 5th morning is another glassy morning with 4 ft from the WNW and 553 energy. It’s a solid backup, smaller but clean. The afternoon fades to a 2 ft long-period SW swell (16 seconds) — that period is very long, so expect long lulls and a bit of a straight wall at the beach. Better on the reefs.

After that, from Sunday the 6th through Tuesday the 8th of September, the swell drops to tiny puny 2 ft — absolutely flat by most standards. The wind is cross-shore or cross-on, and the energy is weak. A total gap with nothing to recommend.

We get a little pulse on Wednesday the 9th of September with a 6 ft WNW swell and a 12-second period, plus moderate 1168 energy. The morning looks okay with cross-shore wind, but by afternoon that moderate breeze picks up, making it choppy. It’s marginal, but it’s the best of a weak middle stretch.

Thursday the 10th through Saturday the 12th stays around 5 ft to 7 ft from the WNW and NW, but the wind is never truly favourable — always cross-shore or cross-on. Saturday the 12th afternoon sees 7 ft but with a 25 km/h cross-shore wind, making it a mess.

Sunday the 13th of September morning might surprise you. The swell drops to 3 ft from the WNW, but the wind is cross-offshore and the conditions are clean. The energy is weak (411), but for a long-range call, this is promising for a clean, small-wave session if you’re on a log.

From Monday the 14th through Tuesday the 15th, it fades back to tiny, weak conditions, with poor wind and short-period swell. Not worth the paddle.

So, to wrap it up: Friday the 4th of September morning is your true standout — glassy, 6 ft WNW swell, clean conditions, and a moderate energy. Saturday the 5th morning is a decent second choice. The rest is either marginal, tiny, or blown out. Keep an eye on Sunday the 13th morning as a long-shot clean log session. The crowds will be likely here on the good days, so get in early.

Rusty.

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