Newport-South Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, I’m looking at this forecast and it’s a tough stretch. The first real chance to get wet comes on Friday, July 24th, but it’s a real head-scratcher. We’ve got a tiny 2ft swell from the WSW at a very long period of 24 seconds, but the combined energy is only moderate (635). The water temperature is a very unusual 52°F, which is a massive -6°F colder than normal for this time of year. That’s a proper shock to the system. The wind is light and offshore in the afternoon, which is a major positive, but with that size, it’s only for the absolute beginners on a longboard, and even then, it’s marginal.

The weekend doesn’t bring much cheer. Saturday, July 25th, the swell picks up a touch to 3ft from the SW with a long period, and the energy jumps to moderate-strong (1161) on Saturday afternoon. But the wind swings southerly, coming in as a cross-shore and then a cross-onshore, turning it into a lumpy, choppy mess. It’s surfable for a beginner who doesn’t mind the bump, but it’s not going to be pretty.

Sunday, July 26th, stays about the same size with a 3ft SW swell, but the wind is light and cross-onshore. The water is still freezing, and the waves are just too soft and crumbly to get excited about. The whole first week is a grind of small, weak swells and poor wind directions at Newport-South Beach.

Then we hit a lull. From Monday, July 28th, through to the end of the month, the swell drops back to 2ft to 3ft and the energy just fades away. The wind is mostly cross-onshore or cross-shore, keeping things messy. If you’re a kite surfer, the consistent cross-shore wind on the 30th and 31st might look interesting, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a total write-off.

The second week tries to bring some size, but it’s the wrong kind. Starting Sunday, August 2nd, a new swell shows up from the NW, but it’s short-period windswell (5-8 seconds). The height builds from 5ft up to 7ft by early August. That’s too big for beginners and, with that short period, it’s going to be a close-out, churning mess at the beach. The wind is howling out of the NNW at 12-19 mph, making it choppy and onshore. This is expert-only, and even then, it’s a battle. The only glimmer is Tuesday, August 4th, where the wind goes light and offshore in the morning, but the swell is still a lumpy 6ft NW windswell.

The best bet, if you can call it that, is Saturday, August 8th. The swell is still 6ft to 6ft from the NW with a short period, but the wind is a lighter cross-shore, making it the least ugly of a bad bunch. The energy is moderate-strong (678), but it’s still a short-period beach break, so don’t expect any shape.

So, bottom line: there’s no standout session here. The first week is too small and cold, the second week is too big and windy. For a longboarder, the Friday afternoon on the 24th is the cleanest, tiniest option. For the brave, the Saturday morning on the 8th is the best of the bigger, messier stuff. It’s a tough outlook for the next 16 days, but hang in there.

Rusty.

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