Moss Landing Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a long, hard look at what Moss Landing has in store for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough outlook. The entire 16-day window is a real struggle. We’re looking at a long, dry spell with hardly any surf worth paddling out for. The first recommendation doesn't even pop up until the very end, so you’re looking at a big gap of nearly two weeks of poor conditions. The water’s a touch warmer than normal at 61°, which is nice for a session, but it doesn’t help the waves.

The pattern is stubborn, with a consistent cross-onshore wind and a light breeze that’s just enough to put a crinkle on the surface. Most days, the swell is small and weak – we’re talking combined wave energy figures that are often two-digit, like 27 (weak) or 67 (weak), meaning barely any energy in the water. It’s a pretty grim run for paddle surfing.

Monday, August 10th through Saturday, August 22nd: This whole stretch is a write-off. The swell is tiny, the wind is always cross-onshore, and the wave comment is consistently "poor surf conditions." The combined energy is mostly weak, barely cracking 100 most days. It’s a long, flat, choppy grind. For a break that’s very consistent and fairly exposed, this is a real bummer of a run.

Sunday, August 23rd: There’s a tiny glimmer. We get a morning session with an *on*shore wind, which is a change, but the swell is still only 3ft from the WNW. The energy is moderate at 229, but with the wrong wind direction, it’s still not going to be a good wave.

Monday, August 24th: The morning is “marginal” at best. A 1ft swell from the SW with a very long 18-second period pops up, giving us a combined energy of 273 (moderate). That long period means it’s a groundswell, but it’s so small it’s barely going to break. It’s a tease.

Tuesday, August 25th: This is the only day that even comes close to a “standout,” and that’s only because everything else is so bad. The morning has a 4ft swell from the WNW with an 8-second period and a combined energy of 311 (moderate). It’s still a cross-onshore light breeze, so the surface won’t be glassy, but it’s the biggest, most energetic swell we’ve seen. The afternoon holds a similar 4ft swell from the WNW with a 10-second period, pushing the energy to 355. It’s still a gentle cross-onshore breeze, but if you’re desperate, this is the best you’re going to get in the whole 16 days. The wind is still a problem, so it won't be clean, but it's the only window with any real push.

In short, Moss Landing is in a deep slump. Leave the board in the car and maybe go for a swim. The setup looks more interesting for a kite session than a paddle session for most of this period. The only sliver of hope is that Tuesday the 25th offers a bit of size, but don't expect anything special.

Rusty.

Read more