Newport-South Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the stretch ahead for Newport-South Beach.

We’re looking at a pretty poor run of surf for the next couple of weeks. The first recommendation doesn’t even pop up until Monday the 16th, so there’s a solid gap of almost two weeks of nothing really worth paddling out for. The swell is mostly short-period windswell from the NW, coming in around 4ft to 8ft, and the winds are a problem. Most days we’ve got a cross or cross-onshore breeze, which is just mucking up the surface and making it choppy. The combined energy is moderate, climbing into the hundreds (275 to 1157), but it’s all poor quality. For a beach break like this, the short period (mostly 6-9 seconds) means the waves will be soft and sectiony. It’s not looking good for paddle surfing at all.

The week of August 3rd to the 9th is a write-off. Wind is consistently from the NNW, either cross or cross-onshore, and the swell is small and weak. It’s the kind of setup that might be more interesting for kite surfing than a paddle board.

The middle of the week starting August 10th sees a slight bump in size, with swell heights getting up to 7ft to 8ft, and the period stretches to 8-9 seconds. The combined energy is moderate to strong (532 to 1157), but the wind is still a problem – it’s almost always cross-onshore, keeping it choppy. The morning of August 10th has a gentler cross-shore wind, so it’s “marginal” rather than “poor,” but it’s still nothing to write home about.

The best chance we get is on Monday, August 16th. The morning shows a shift: wind turns onshore from the WSW at a light 6 mph, with some clouds. The swell is 5ft from the NW with an 8-second period, giving a moderate combined energy of 589. It’s still only a “2” out of 10 in the score, but it’s the best of a bad lot. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The very end of the run, August 17th and 18th, drops right off. Swell collapses to 2ft from the SW with a long 15-second period, but it’s cross-onshore and weak. Not worth getting wet for.

Bottom line: There’s nothing here that’s a standout. The whole 16-day window is pretty grim. The only day that might be worth a look is Monday the 16th, but keep your expectations on the floor. It’s one of those runs where the forecast can change, but as it stands, I’d be finding something else to do.

Rusty.

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