Lincoln City Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's take a hard look at what Lincoln City is serving up for the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you—it's a grim stretch. We're looking at a 16-day window with hardly a single session worth getting wet for. The first week is a write-off, and the second week isn't much prettier.

The water's sitting at a cold 54°, which is 5° colder than normal for this time of year. That's a notable bite in the air and in the water, so you're gonna need a thick suit and boots if you're even thinking about it.

The pattern is dominated by onshore and cross-shore winds from the NNW, keeping everything chop city. The combined swell energy (348) does start off in the moderate range on Friday the 3rd of July, but it's a messy 4 ft cross-on swell from the WNW at a short 8 seconds. That's not surf, that's a washing machine. Saturday and Sunday of the 4th and 5th are even worse, with the swell jumping up to 6 ft on Sunday but with that nasty 25 km/h cross-shore wind tearing it apart.

Monday the 6th morning sees the combined energy jump to 830 (moderate to strong), with a 6 ft NW swell and a period of 11 seconds. That's the best looking groundswell of the whole run, but the wind is still a cross-shore, leaving it 'marginal' at best. You'd be hunting for a sheltered bank, but it's a long shot. Monday afternoon and Tuesday the 7th are back to poor.

Wednesday the 8th morning brings a very brief moment of hope—a light offshore wind from the WNW at 10 km/h, with a 2 ft swell. But that swell is from the SW with an 18-second period. That's a long period groundswell which can get weird at a beach break, turning those long waits into closeouts. Not a standout. The rest of the 8th and 9th are a mess.

Into the second week, we finally see some offshore winds. The 15th of July morning is the closest thing to a highlight we get. A light 10 km/h wind from the W, which is fully offshore for Lincoln City. The swell is a tiny 2 ft from the WNW, but with a period of 21 seconds. That's a very long period groundswell. The combined energy is 798 (moderate to strong). For an expert on a point break or a reef, that could be a clean, if small, day with energy in the water. The 15th afternoon holds similar potential: 4 ft from the WNW at 11 seconds, still with a light 10 km/h offshore wind. That's the best wind conditions of the entire forecast. Is it a standout? Considering the rest of the forecast is a dumpster fire, yes. But it's small and requires a specific setup to work.

The 16th of July picks up a bit more size, with a 4 ft WNW swell at 17 seconds, and the combined energy hits 1009 (strong). But the cross-shore wind is back at 25 km/h on the afternoon, ruining it. The 17th and 18th are a slow fade back into onshore junk.

So, the bottom line: this is a tough call. The 15th of July is your only real window, with small but clean waves and a long period. Don't expect much. This is a typical run of poor conditions for the area—it's exposed to the north, and that's all we're getting.

Rusty.

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