Moss Landing Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at Moss Landing.

Well, to be straight with you, for the first week and a half there’s nothing worth getting wet for. The swell is tiny, the wind is constantly cross-onshore, and the wave comment is “poor surf conditions” right through. We’re looking at a long, flat spell from the start on Monday the 20th of July right through to the end of the month. There’s a weak energy reading at best, and for a solid week the combined energy is barely scraping 100 (47 to 150), just a lot of small, messy junk. Don’t even bother paddling out – it’s one of those stretches where the forecast is just a bust for surfers.

The first real glimmer of hope shows up on Tuesday morning, the 28th of July. The swell bumps up to 5 ft from the WNW, with a long period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy climbs to 404. The wind is still cross-on, but it’s a light breeze. The rating is still marginal, but it’s the first time the score gets a 1. That wave is mostly for the dedicated crew, as the sets will be inconsistent.

Then, the standout. Wednesday the 29th of July is the day to circle. The swell is 6 ft from the WNW, period 9 seconds, and the energy is 480. Still a light cross-onshore wind, but it’s a light breeze, so the surface won’t be too torn up. The water temp is about 59°F, which is normal for this time of year. This is honestly the best of a pretty average run. It’s not perfect, but it’s the biggest, most consistent pulse we get. The break is Moss Landing, a fairly exposed spot that catches the NW swell well. For a surfer, this is the one to target. It’s still a bit messy, but for this area and this forecast, it’s your best bet.

Looking further out, the second week is more of the same. The swell stays around 5 ft to 7 ft from the WNW, but the wind never really turns clean. The energy is high (up to 673 on the 3rd of August) but the wave comment remains “poor surf conditions” or “marginal.” The Wednesday the 3rd of August morning could be a better option with 5 ft @ 9s and light winds, but the crowd factor is “sometimes” so you’ll have company. The swell is getting up to 7 ft, which is getting big for beginners, and the period is 9 seconds – not a long groundswell, so it’ll be a bit lumpy. Honestly, there’s no second standout; it’s all just a bit average.

If you’re a kite surfer, the consistent cross-onshore wind and building swell over the second week might look more interesting than paddle surfing. For us, it’s a lean couple of weeks.

Rusty out.

Read more