Lincoln City Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s cut through the noise and talk about what’s going on at Lincoln City.

Well, I gotta be straight with you – the first week is a bit of a heartbreaker. For days on end, we’re looking at tiny, weak swells with a persistent cross-onshore wind that just won’t let up. The wave energy is low, sitting around 204 to 281 (combined energy), and the swell height is barely a whisper at 1ft to 2ft. It’s poor, it’s choppy, and there’s not a single standout session in that first stretch. You’d be better off cleaning the wax off your board than paddling out into that mess.

But hold on, because things take a turn. The real story starts on Tuesday, September 1st. The morning gets glassy – dead calm, with a slight air. The swell bumps up just a touch to 3ft from the WNW, with a period of 10 seconds. That’s a clean, rideable wave, and the energy has climbed to 343 (combined energy). The afternoon stays glassy, too. This is the best surf on offer in the whole outlook, hands down. The water temp is a frigid 48°, which is a staggering 12° colder than usual for this time of year – that’s *far* colder than normal, so don’t even think about going out without a thick hooded wetsuit and booties.

After that, the swell builds. By Thursday, September 3rd, we’re looking at 4ft to 4ft from the WNW with moderate energy (543 to 537 combined energy), but the wind swings cross-shore, keeping it a bit lumpy. It’s not the glassy perfection of the 1st, but it’s surfable for intermediates.

The second week shows a bit more punch. Saturday, September 5th morning has a clean 4ft from the NW with a cross-offshore breeze – that’ll clean things up nicely. But the swell period is short at 8 seconds, so it’ll be a bit weaker and more disorganized. Sunday, September 6th morning pushes 5ft from the NW, but the period is still short (8 seconds) and the wind is cross-shore. That’s getting into the size where beginners might be in over their heads.

The biggest swell of the whole window hits Monday, September 7th and Tuesday, September 8th, with 7ft from the NW. That’s expert territory, and the combined energy is pounding at 855 (combined energy). The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’ll be a bit of a battle, but for the experienced crew, there’s power to be had.

The final highlight is Wednesday, September 9th morning. The swell drops to a still-sizable 5ft from the NW, but the wind goes glassy again. With a combined energy of 609 (combined energy), it’s got some grunt and the surface will be like a mirror. That’s a very good morning for anyone who can handle the size.

Lincoln City is a beach and reef setup, exposed to the west. Crowds are possible, so keep your head on a swivel. The best windows are undeniably the glassy morning of September 1st for clean, fun waves, and the glassy morning of September 9th for a bigger, more powerful session.

Rusty.

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