Moss Landing Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – the outlook for Moss Landing over the next 16 days is a tough one. We’re starting with a real flat spell, and honestly, there’s no good surf on the cards for the bulk of the forecast. The first real glimmer of something doesn’t show up until the morning of Thursday, July 16th, and even then it’s a marginal call. It’s a long wait.

From the start, through the 12th and well into the week, we’re looking at small, weak swells. The energy is low, with wave heights mostly between 3 ft and 3 ft. The wind is a persistent cross-onshore breeze from the WSW, and the wave comment is just "poor surf conditions". There’s nothing to get excited about.

The only time the numbers even hint at something worthwhile is the morning of Thursday, July 16th. The swell bumps up to 6 ft from the NW with a 9-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 952 (moderate-to-strong). That’s the biggest push of the whole 16-day window. But here’s the kicker – the wind is still a cross-onshore 15 km/h (9 mph) from the WSW, keeping things messy. The wave comment says "marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions". It’s a window for experienced surfers only, and even then, it’s going to be a battle with the chop. The afternoon of the 16th drops a bit, and the same cross-on wind keeps it poor.

After that, the swell fades again. The following week, from the 17th onward, is a repeat of the first: small, weak swells, persistent cross-onshore winds, and "poor surf conditions" across the board. There’s a brief moment on the morning of Sunday, July 18th, with a 2 ft swell from the SW and a very long 18-second period, and the combined energy is 481 (moderate). But the wind is a light onshore from the W, and the comment is still "marginal". That long period, clean groundswell is actually a good thing for a point break or reef, but Moss Landing is a fairly exposed beach set-up, so that long-period swell will likely break too straight and be hard to ride. Not the spot for it.

The water temp is sitting at 60°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least it’s not freezing.

Overall, it’s a bleak run. If you’re a paddle surfer, this is a 16-day window to do something else. The only real pulse of size (6 ft on the 16th) is ruined by the wind. Honestly, with that cross-onshore breeze and moderate energy, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Hang in there, the forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a tough one.

Rusty.

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