Morro Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be honest from the start – this outlook for Morro Bay is a tough one. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and uninspiring for the most part, with a lot of days where the surf is just too small and messy to get excited about. The water is sitting at 60° which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a good wetsuit.

We kick off with Monday afternoon, 3rd August, and it’s not great. A 4ft swell from the WNW is coming in with a period of 10 seconds, but the wind is cross-on from the W at 6 mph, and the wave energy is only moderate (429). The call is poor surf conditions. Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th are even smaller, with waves dropping below 3ft and the same cross-on wind. The energy drops right down into the low 100s and 200s. It’s a frustrating start.

There’s a bit of a lull here with no real standout surf for several days. From Thursday 6th through to Saturday 8th, we’re looking at tiny waves under 2-3ft and periods that are all over the place. The wind stays light but mostly cross-on or onshore, which keeps things messy. The energy is still weak, generally in the 100-200 range. It’s a real blank run.

Now, Sunday 9th August afternoon shows a bit of a pulse. The swell jumps to 5ft from the NW with a period of 10 seconds, and the energy climbs to a strong 1090. That’s the biggest number we’ve seen, but the wind is still cross-on from the W at 6 mph, so it’s only marginal. It’s a tease, but not the clean, lined-up waves we’re after.

The following week, from 10th August to 18th August, is pretty much more of the same. The swell sizes hang around the 2ft to 4ft mark, mostly from the SSW or SW, with periods that are often in the 15-18 second range, which is a solid long-period groundswell. That long period is good for shape, but the wind keeps blowing cross-on or onshore, and the breaks are mostly beach and reef setups where a long-period swell can be a bit tricky. The energy is moderate, hitting the 400-700 range on some days, particularly on 15th August when it reaches 762. That’s the best of a bad bunch – a 3ft swell from the SSW with a 16-second period and light cross-shore winds on Saturday morning 15th August. It’s a marginal call, but it’s the closest thing to a window we’ve got.

The very end of the run, 17th and 18th August, sees the swell size bump up to 5ft-6ft from the WNW, but the period drops to a short, weak 6-7 seconds, and the wind is onshore at 9 mph. That’s just poor, wind-affected slop.

So, the honest truth is there’s no real standout session in this outlook. The best chance for a paddle is Saturday morning, 15th August, at Morro Bay. You’ll have a 3ft SSW groundswell with a 16-second period, which is a good, clean line, and the light cross-shore wind should keep it rideable. The wave energy is moderate (762), so there’s some push there. It’s not pumping, but it’s the only window that’s not a total write-off.

If you’re a beginner, the swell is small enough on most days, but the conditions are just too poor. For the more experienced, there’s no real power to work with. This is a real stretch of quiet, and it’s likely to stay that way. Forecasts can change, but for now, the board stays in the car.

Rusty.

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