Moss Landing Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

Well, I gotta be straight with you – it’s a grim stretch ahead for Moss Landing. We’re looking at a solid 16-day window, and honestly, there’s nothing I’d be paddling out for. The whole run is just a long line of poor surf conditions. The swell is there, but it’s all wrong.

The problem starts from Wednesday the 29th of July and just keeps going. We’ve got a constant cross-onshore wind from the WSW, blowing right across the face. The swell is coming from the WNW, not the ideal NW direction, with a short period of just 8 seconds – that’s weak, wind-affected junk. The combined energy in the water is generally moderate, hitting 267 on Wednesday afternoon, but it’s just messy, choppy surf. The water temp is about 60°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t freeze while you’re getting skunked.

This pattern just drags on. Every morning and afternoon through the end of July and into the first week of August is the same story: light cross-onshore breeze, small wind ripples, and poor surf. Even on Saturday the 1st of August, when the swell bumps up to 6 ft with energy hitting 400, the wind goes cross-shore and the conditions are only marginal. It’s not clean enough to get excited about.

By the 2nd and 3rd of August, the period stretches to 10 seconds, which is a bit better – we get some energy in the 566 to 598 range – but the wind is still cross-onshore, keeping it chopped up. It’s a tease. The swell drops right off after that, with heights falling to 1 ft by the 12th of August. The energy plummets down to 73, which is basically nothing. There’s a long-period swell showing up on the 11th of August, with a 19-second period from the SW, but it’s only 2 ft. That’s a whisper, not a wave.

For a spot that’s very consistent and fairly exposed, this is a real bummer. Moss Landing is an advanced, very consistent break, and when it’s on, it’s on. But this whole 16-day window is a write-off. The only thing that peaks through is a few marginal sessions on the 1st and 3rd of August, but with the wind state and chop, it’s not worth the drive. The crowds are sometimes a problem here, but I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that this time.

So, there you have it. A long, flat, choppy outlook. The blank run is normal for this area when the wind doesn’t play ball. Hang tight, forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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