North Jetty at Eureka Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’ve got the look ahead for the upcoming stretch. Let’s get into it.

Right off the bat, we’re looking at a bit of a rough start. The first call for surf isn’t until Sunday, August 2nd, and even then, it’s a tough one to get excited about. North Jetty at Eureka is serving up a solid 10 ft of swell from the NNW, but it’s getting hammered by a 15 mph north wind, cross-on, creating poor surf conditions. The combined energy is a big 1135 (moderate wave energy), but the chop is going to be a fight. This stays messy through Monday and Tuesday, with the swell hanging around 10 ft to 8 ft, but the wind is eating it up. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Now, late in the first week, there’s a glimmer. Wednesday, August 5th, the swell drops to 6 ft from the NW, and the wind lightens up to a light breeze. The conditions are still described as marginal, but that 6 ft with a period of 8 seconds is a much more manageable size. The energy drops to 530 (still weak), but the lighter wind makes it a more realistic paddle. Thursday morning, August 6th, looks the best of the early days: 5 ft NW swell, with the wind turning onshore, but still light. It’s small, but clean. The crowd factor is “sometimes,” so you might not have it all to yourself, but it’s a fair trade for a little peace.

The real standout, though, is a bigger pulse that arrives on Saturday, August 8th. That morning, we see 8 ft from the NNW, with a period of 8 seconds, and the wind is light and onshore. The energy jumps to 1085 (moderate). It’s a little on the bigger side, so it’s more for the intermediate crowd, but the light wind will keep it clean. This is the best on offer in the first week. Sunday, August 9th, pushes even bigger, hitting 13 ft, but the wind swings to a cross-on 12-15 mph, making it choppy and messy. That’s expert-only territory, and even then, it’s not going to be pretty.

The second week gets quieter. From Monday, August 10th, through to the end of the run, the swell sits mostly between 5 ft and 6 ft, with the wind often staying cross-on. The best chance for a clean wave is on Wednesday, August 12th, with a 5 ft NW swell and light onshore wind, but the energy is moderate at 483. Then, on Saturday, August 15th, morning offers 6 ft from the NNW with a 9-second period and light wind, energy at 822, which is a sweet spot. Sunday, August 16th, is interesting: the morning is 5 ft, but the afternoon sees a 3 ft swell from the SW with a very long period of 16 seconds (926 energy). That’s a groundswell, and it’s best for a jetty or river mouth, but the size is small. It’s a novelty, not a main event.

Overall, the first week has the biggest grunt, but the wind is your enemy. The standout is Saturday morning, August 8th, for the combination of size and clean conditions. The second week is smaller, but there are a few windows of clean, smaller surf for the patient surfer.

Rusty.

Read more