Lincoln City Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for Lincoln City. Straight up, this is a tough outlook. We’re looking at a long stretch of pretty average conditions with only a few moments that might be worth a paddle. The water is sitting at 50°F which is a massive 9°F colder than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, so you’ll want a thick wetsuit and booties.

The first decent chance to get wet is Saturday morning, July 11th. We’ll see a 4ft swell from the WNW with a period of 10 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate at 510. The wind is a cross-shore from the SSW at 9 mph, so it’s not clean but it’s rideable. It’s marginal, so don’t expect perfection.

Saturday afternoon picks up a touch to 5ft from the WNW, but the wind switches onshore from the W at 9 mph, which will make it bumpy. That afternoon session is a hard pass.

Sunday looks like a write-off. The swell drops to 4ft and then 3ft, but the wind is a stiff cross-shore from the NNW, hitting 16 mph in the afternoon. Forget it – it’s going to be choppy and messy.

Monday through to Wednesday morning looks pretty poor. Swell is small, mostly under 4ft, and the wind is consistently cross-onshore, making for a lumpy, uninviting ocean. The energy is weak, dropping as low as 187 on Wednesday morning. Not worth the drive.

Thursday morning, July 16th, things perk up a little. A 5ft swell from the NW with an 8-second period, moderate energy at 556, and light cross-onshore winds from the WSW at only 3 mph. That’s the closest thing to clean we’ll get for a while. Thursday afternoon bumps to 5ft from the NW, energy jumps to 715, but it’s still cross-onshore. Still, that morning session is your best early bet.

Friday through the following Tuesday, the swell sticks around in the 6ft to 7ft range from the NW, with combined energy running moderate to strong (735 to 1102). That sounds promising, but the wind is a problem – it’s a moderate cross-shore, blowing 12 to 16 mph, which will keep the surface rough. The period is short (7 to 9 seconds), so it’s windswell, not groundswell. These days are only for the determined, and honestly, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The standout moment in this whole 16-day window is the Saturday morning, July 18th. The swell is 6ft from the NW, with an 8-second period, and the combined energy is strong at 913. The wind is a cross-shore from the NNW at 12 mph – it’s not glassy, but it’s the best balance of size and wind we’ve got. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. Expect crowds to be possible at Lincoln City as it’s a fairly consistent spot.

After that, the swell stays in the 6ft to 7ft range through the 23rd, but the wind stays moderate and cross-shore. It’s a long grind of marginal, workable surf. The last few days, from the 24th to the 26th, the swell drops back to 2ft to 3ft with long periods from the SW – that’s clean but tiny, and the energy is mostly weak. Not much to get excited about.

Overall, it’s a lean run. The surf is just not cooperating for a solid week at a time. But keep an eye on the 18th – that’s your best shot.

Rusty.

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