Marengo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, let’s talk about the surf window here at Marengo. This is a reef and point setup, a pretty forgiving wave for the beginners out there, exposed to a fair bit of swell. The water is sitting at 58°F, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing to fret about.

We’ve got a bit of a wait for the good stuff. The first few days are a bit of a tease. Tuesday the 28th is a write-off with that strong NNW cross-off wind and a messy 5ft SW swell. The energy is weak (1264), so don’t bother. Wednesday the 29th though, that’s where it kicks off. We’re looking at a solid 16ft SW groundswell in the morning, and a 15ft in the afternoon. The period is a long 16 seconds, so this is proper groundswell rolling in. The combined energy is massive (18706), but the wind is a strong cross-off from the SW and WSW, so it’s going to be clean but powerful. This is expert territory. The wave size is over 8ft, so it’s not for the faint of heart.

After that big pulse, we get a nice breather. Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st see the swell drop to a much more manageable 4ft to 5ft from the SSW and SW. The wind goes offshore and light, giving us clean, glassy conditions. The energy drops right down to the 500-1000 range, but the quality is there. This is a great window for the beginners and intermediates to get some clean, fun waves.

The real standout of the whole period, the one that’s going to be a mission, is Saturday the 1st of August. The morning is a bit mixed with a cross-shore, but the afternoon. Oh, the afternoon. A 7ft SW groundswell with a very long period of 18 seconds, combined with a light NNW cross-off breeze. The energy is strong (3367) and the conditions are going to be excellent for experienced surfers. That long period will make it line up perfectly on the point, but it’s a serious paddle. With crowds listed as “sometimes,” you can expect a few others in the water for this one.

Moving into the second week, things get more complicated. Sunday the 2nd offers some clean 6ft SW swell, but it’s not the standout. The next Monday the 3rd has a massive 15ft WSW swell, but it’s wind-affected by a cross-on breeze. The rest of the week from the 4th through the 6th is poor with onshore winds and small, weak swell. There’s a slight uptick on the 7th with a 6ft SW swell, but the wind is cross or cross-on, so it’s marginal. The 8th and 9th are mostly messy with a lot of cross-chop.

The very end of the window, around the 12th of August, shows a 7ft SW swell with a 19-second period, but the wind is a cross-shore, making it choppy. It’s promising but less certain this far out.

So, the best bet is hands down the Saturday afternoon session on the 1st of August for the experienced crew, and the Thursday and Friday before that for a clean, fun session for everyone else.

Rusty.

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