Moss Landing Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about Moss Landing. Gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a good paddle. The summer pattern has a real stranglehold on this stretch, and we’re stuck in a cycle of small, weak swell and onshore winds.

The water temp is sitting right about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there. But the surf? Man, it’s a struggle. We’re looking at a solid gap of at least five days from now through Saturday, July 26th, where the waves are just poor. Tiny little stuff, mostly 1 to 3 feet, with a combined energy that’s barely a whisper (peaking at just 180 on the 23rd). The winds are cross-on or onshore, and the period is all over the place – short, choppy, and uninviting. Not worth getting wet.

The first real flicker of hope shows up on the afternoon of Sunday, July 27th. The swell bumps up a bit to 6 feet from the WNW, and the combined energy hits a solid 362 (moderate). But it’s still a cross-on mess, and the period is a short 7 seconds. That’s a windy, bumpy, and blown-out afternoon. Not a standout.

The best of a bad bunch, and I mean the *only* real window to look at, is the morning of Monday, August 3rd. That’s over a week away, so take it with a grain of salt. We’re looking at 6 feet of WNW swell with a period of 10 seconds. That’s long-period groundswell, which means better shape and more energy (combined energy of 706 – strong). The wind is lighter, just a light breeze, but it’s still a cross-on. It’s a “marginal” call, and for a spot like Moss Landing that’s a beach setup, a long-period WNW swell can break a bit straight. This is a spot for experienced surfers, as the swell is pushing over 5 feet, making it a bit much for beginners. The crowd factor is “sometimes” here, so you might have company, but it won’t be a zoo.

For the rest of the run, the second week is more of the same: small, weak, onshore slop. The morning of August 5th shows 3 feet and 151 energy, which is just a sad end to the outlook. Honestly, if you’re a kiter, a lot of these afternoons with the 15 km/h cross-on wind and building swell might look more interesting than a paddle session.

Hang in there, folks. The forecast can change, but right now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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