Lincoln City Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

We’ve got a pretty grim stretch ahead, to be honest. The first week is mostly a write-off, with hardly any surf worth paddling out for. The waves are small, the wind isn’t playing ball, and the water is a real shock to the system. The water temperature is sitting at 52°, which is a massive 7° colder than usual for this time of year. That’s far from average, that’s a proper cold snap, so you’ll want a thick steamer and booties for sure.

The first few days are a total bust. Tuesday and Wednesday (14th-15th July) are flat and choppy, with cross-onshore winds messing up any tiny swell. You’re looking at 2ft to 3ft of weak, short-period windswell from the W and WNW, with combined wave energy in the low hundreds (275-386). Not worth getting wet for.

Thursday (16th July) stays marginal, with a tiny 2ft to 2ft swell from the WNW, but the cross-onshore wind is lighter. The energy picks up a bit into the mid 500s, but it’s still nothing to write home about. The same story runs through Friday and Saturday (17th-18th July). The swell starts to build a little on Saturday, hitting 5ft to 6ft from the NW by the afternoon, but the period drops to 9 seconds and the wind is cross-shore and moderate. The energy jumps up to 1155, which is moderate, but it’s messy and choppy. Not a good look.

Sunday (19th July) through Monday (20th July) offer the same messy, mid-period NW swell in the 5ft to 6ft range, but it’s still cross-onshore or cross-shore with a chop. The energy stays in the 500-700 range. The waves are there, but the quality is poor.

Then we get a little window of opportunity. The standout of the whole forecast comes on Tuesday morning, 21st July. The wind finally swings offshore from the W, right into the optimum direction for this spot. The swell is small, only 2ft from the SW, but it’s a long-period groundswell at 16 seconds. That’s quality energy (527) and with light offshore winds, Lincoln City will be clean and glassy. It’s still small, so it’s not a big day, but for the shape and texture, this is the best we get. The morning of the 21st is the pick, no doubt.

Wednesday (22nd July) and Thursday (23rd July) morning hold onto that light offshore wind from the WNW, with the swell staying small (2ft) and the period dropping slightly (14-13 seconds). The energy tails off from 320 down to 235. It’s still surfable, just small.

After that, it’s back to the doldrums. From Friday (24th July) right through to the end of the forecast on Wednesday (29th July), we’re looking at tiny, weak swells, mostly cross-onshore winds, and poor conditions. The energy drops below 200 at times, and swell heights are under 2ft. There’s a brief spike in size on the 25th and 26th, with 6ft to 6ft NW swell, but the period is short (8-9 seconds) and the wind is moderate cross-onshore, making it a choppy, bumpy mess. Not recommended.

So, to sum it up: there’s a lot of flatness and choppy junk to wade through. The one true standout is Tuesday morning, 21st July. Get out there for the small, clean, glassy conditions. Otherwise, it’s a quiet spell for Lincoln City.

Rusty.

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