Moss Landing Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what we’ve got on the cards. Straight up, I gotta be honest with you, the next week and a half is pretty grim. The finder’s got nothing good for us until we get towards the end of the run. Moss Landing is the only spot on the menu, and it's taking a beating from a persistent cross-onshore wind. The swell is coming from the WNW, but it’s not doing us any favours with the wind blowing straight across it, making everything choppy and messy. There’s a solid window of about ten days here with no real surf to get excited about.

Right now, and through to about July 19th, we’re looking at poor conditions. The swell is mostly between 4 ft and 7 ft, but the wind is a constant cross-onshore, from the WSW or SW. The combined energy is moderate, but it’s all wasted on that chop. There’s a brief moment on the morning of July 16th where the swell hits 6 ft and the period stretches to 9 seconds, and the energy jumps up—but it’s still got that cross-onshore breeze, so it’s only a “marginal” call at best. On July 17th morning, we get a similar story with 5 ft swell, but again, the wind kills it.

Now, pay attention here, because there is one true standout, and it’s a bit of a sleeper. On Monday morning, July 20th, everything changes. The wind ditches us and turns glassy, with a light NW breeze at just 5 mph. The swell drops to 3 ft from the WNW with a 9-second period, and the energy is modest. But when it’s glassy, 3 ft of clean, lined-up swell is a dream. This is the best session on offer, no doubt. For Moss Landing, which is a fairly exposed spot, getting that glassy window with a clean WNW swell is a proper treat. The water temp is running about 5° warmer than usual for this time of year, which is very unusual, so you won't need the thickest suit.

After that, it drops right back off. The morning of July 23rd sees 4 ft of WNW swell with a bit more energy, but the cross-onshore wind is back. It’s a shame, really. The long-range stuff around July 18th and 19th shows some very long period swell (17-18 seconds) coming from the SW, but it’s only 2 ft to 3 ft. That’s a tease. Those long-period swells can be amazing on a reef or point, but at a beach break like Moss Landing, they can break too straight. Plus, with that cross-onshore wind, it’s just not worth paddling out.

So, to wrap it up: don’t waste your time until Monday the 20th. That morning is your window. It’s not big, but it will be clean and fun. After that, we’re back to waiting.

Rusty.

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