Moss Landing Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get one thing straight – what we’ve got for the next 16 days is a real tough watch. The whole stretch is plagued by cross-onshore winds, and the wave quality is taking a serious hit because of it. There’s no standout period, no golden window – just a long grind of mediocre to poor surf.

The forecast starts on Tuesday, 18th August, and right away it’s ugly. Tiny 0.6m swell (about 2 feet) from the WNW with a short 8-second period, and a cross-on breeze from the west at 10 km/h (6 mph). The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing to write home about. The combined energy is weak (104) – it’s just a mess of small wind ripples. That theme continues all week. Wednesday morning shows a bit of a longer period (13 seconds) but the swell is only 0.4m (1 feet), and the cross-on wind is still there. Afternoon picks up to 1.0m (3 feet) but the period drops to 7 seconds – short, weak, and choppy.

We do see a bit more size rolling in from the 26th of August onward. On Wednesday the 26th, the morning swell hits 1.3m (4 feet) from the WNW, period 8 seconds, and the combined energy climbs to 460 – moderate. Still, that cross-on wind from the WSW at 10 km/h (6 mph) is enough to spoil the surface. Thursday the 27th morning is the closest we get to a “maybe” – a score of 1 out of 10, with 1.4m (5 feet) and 9-second period, but it’s a marginal call at best. The rest of the week is a rinse and repeat of cross-on wind and poor surf conditions.

By the 30th of August (Sunday morning), we see 1.6m (5 feet) from the NW with 8 seconds and a combined energy of 500 – the biggest number on the board. But again, the wind is cross-on from the west at 10 km/h (6 mph), and the wave comment says it all: “poor surf conditions.” The period is short, and the wind is just enough to make it bumpy.

Into the first days of September, things drop off hard. On Tuesday, 1st September, we’re down to 0.3m (1 foot) from the SW with a very long 18-second period, but the combined energy is weak (92) – it’s barely a ripple. The cross-on wind is still there.

Look, I’ll be straight with you – Moss Landing is a very consistent spot, but this run is a long, dry spell. The only break on offer is Moss Landing itself, and it’s an advanced wave, fairly exposed to the NW swell. The crowds are only “sometimes” an issue, but that doesn’t matter when the surf is this poor. If you’re a kiter, honestly, this setup might be more interesting than for paddle surfing – the cross-onshore wind and moderate energy could give you something to work with, but for us surfers, it’s a tough stretch.

Hang in there, mate. The forecast can always change, and it rarely stays this grim for long.

Rusty.

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