Newport - The Peak Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Newport – The Peak.

Right off the bat, we’re looking at a long, slow start. For the first week, from Monday the 13th through to Sunday the 19th, the surf is pretty much a write-off. We’ve got days of tiny, weak energy with readings barely getting into double digits (40-500 range), and the wind is either onshore, cross-shore, or just messy. It’s a real flat spell, so don’t even bother paddling out for the first five days unless you want a tan.

The first real glimmer of hope shows up on the morning of Wednesday, 15th July. The swell bumps up to a solid 8ft from the south, with a period of 10 seconds. That’s a decent amount of water moving, with combined energy readings hitting 1771 – that’s moderate to strong energy. But here’s the catch: the wind is cross-offshore from the SW at 15 km/h (9 mph), so it’ll be clean. This is about as good as it gets for the week, but it’s a bit of a one-off. The wave comment says “marginal surf forecast,” and with that size, it’s pushing into expert territory. Definitely not a beginner spot that day.

After that, the surf drops back down again. We see a few scraps of 3ft to 5ft through the 17th to the 19th, but the wind is mostly onshore or cross-on, and the energy is low. The crowds at Newport – The Peak are often around, so on these small, average days, it’s probably a scramble for weak little waves.

The outlook picks up a bit heading into the second week. On the morning of Tuesday, 21st July, we get a clean 5ft swell from the east-northeast, with a 10-second period and a light cross-offshore wind from the SW. The combined energy is a moderate 384, and the comment says “expect good surf conditions.” This is a solid window for a surfer who knows the reef. The water temperature is 65°F, which is about 0.5°F above normal – so pretty average for this time of year, nothing unusual.

Then, the standout window of the whole 16-day run might be the morning of Wednesday, 22nd July. The swell is still 5ft from the ENE, with a 9-second period, but the wind is glassy – a light NNW breeze at 5 km/h (3 mph). That’s the kind of morning you set the alarm for. The energy is moderate (387), and the comment says “expect good surf conditions.” The wave direction is a bit east of the optimum SE for this break, but with glassy conditions, it’ll still be clean and fun. Crowds are often here, so get there early.

The rest of the second week is a mixed bag of 3ft to 5ft swells, mostly with cross-shore or onshore winds. The morning of Sunday, 26th July, has a clean 3ft swell from the east with a long 11-second period, but the energy is weak (197). The morning of Monday, 27th July, lifts a bit with a 3ft, 13-second period east swell, clean cross-offshore wind, and moderate energy (324) – another decent, if small, window.

Overall, the best bet is the morning of Wednesday, 22nd July. It’s the cleanest, glassiest window with a fun, rideable size. If you can’t make that, the morning of the 21st is a good backup. Don’t hold your breath for the first week.

Rusty.

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