Moss Landing Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – the next 16 days around Moss Landing look like a tough stretch for a paddle-out. The data is pretty clear: we’re stuck in a pattern of light cross-onshore winds that are just ruining the surface. The waves are there, but they’re messy and chopped up. The combined swell energy hits a moderate 533 (moderate wave energy) on Sunday afternoon, the 2nd, with a 6ft swell from the WNW, but the wind is a cross-on, so it’s not clean. The water is sitting at 59°F, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real chance you’ll get is right at the start, on Sunday afternoon, August 2nd. Moss Landing is seeing a 6ft WNW swell with a period of 10 seconds, and the energy is there at 533 (moderate wave energy). But the wind is a light cross-on from the WSW at 6 mph, and the wave comment says it all: "poor surf conditions." This is a spot that is fairly exposed to the swell, and it’s very consistent, but with that wind angle, it’s just not going to line up. It’s a shame because the size is there for a decent session.

Through the rest of the first week and into the second, it’s a painful grind. Monday morning, August 3rd, has a similar 5ft swell, but the conditions are still "marginal" at best. By the 4th, the swell drops to 3ft and the energy falls to 238 (weak wave energy). The wind stays stubbornly cross-on every single day. We go through a long gap from Tuesday the 4th all the way to Saturday the 8th with nothing but "poor surf conditions" and tiny, weak swells. The combined energy drops to as low as 121 (weak wave energy) on the 5th, with a 1ft swell from the SW. That’s barely a ripple.

There’s a slight pulse on the 8th and 9th, with the swell picking back up to 5ft–5ft and the energy climbing back to 436 (moderate wave energy), but again, the wind is the same story – cross-on, choppy, no good.

The only possible glimmer is way out on the horizon. Looking at Sunday morning, August 16th, we see a 3ft swell from the WNW, but with a very long period of 18 seconds. The energy is decent at 453 (moderate wave energy). That kind of long-period groundswell will have some real push, and it’s the kind of energy that *can* wrap around and find a better shape at a point break or reef. The wind is still light cross-on, though, so it’s a gamble. Then, on Monday, August 17th, the wind finally shifts to a pure "on" direction for the morning, and the swell is 3ft with a 14-second period. The energy is 311 (moderate wave energy), and the conditions are listed as "marginal" – which is the best we've seen in a while. This is the only time in the entire forecast where the wind is not ruining the surface. If you’re desperate, that Monday morning session is the one to watch, but it’s a long way off and the swell is small.

The real stand-out is that Monday the 17th. It’s not a world-class day, but it’s the only window where the wind is offshore and the conditions are described as "marginal" instead of "poor." For a spot that is very consistent, a blank run like this is unusual, but it can happen. Keep your eyes on that Monday morning, but don’t hold your breath for the rest of it.

Rusty.

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