North Jetty at Eureka Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, and I've got the full rundown on what's coming our way. Honestly, looking at the North Jetty at Eureka, the next 16 days are a bit of a mixed bag, and you'll have to be patient. There's a lot of wind-ruined surf and some big, raw energy that's going to be tough to handle. The first few days are a write-off, but there might be a couple of windows worth setting the alarm for.

Let's start with the immediate situation. For Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st, the surf is basically a no-go. We've got wave energy around 568 and 366 (moderate), with swell heights of 3 ft to 4 ft, but the wind is onshore or cross-onshore from the NNW and N, blowing at 9 to 12 mph. It's just messy, choppy, and the quality is poor. You're better off staying on the beach. The water temperature is sitting at 59°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, a nice little anomaly of plus 2°.

The weekend of Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd of August doesn't look any better. The swell is building, but so is the wind. Saturday morning has a weak 2 ft SW groundswell with a long 14-second period, but that cross-onshore breeze from the north at 9 mph is messing it up. By Sunday, we're looking at a serious increase in size, with 8 ft to 10 ft of NNW swell, but the wind is cranking from the north at 12 to 19 mph. The combined energy jumps to 875 and then 1239 (strong), but it's a cross-onshore, lumpy hell. This is more of a kite-surfing scene than a paddle surfing one.

We do get a few days in the first week of August that are borderline. Monday the 3rd has a massive 10 ft to 12 ft NNW swell with energy hitting 1609 and 2114 (very strong), but the wind is still a problem. The best chance in this whole period looks like it might be Tuesday the 4th, and Wednesday the 5th. On Tuesday morning, we have a clean 10 ft NNW swell with a 9-second period, and the wind is light and onshore from the NNW at 6 mph. The energy is 1285 (strong). This is a big, powerful wave, over 8 ft, so it's strictly for experienced surfers only. The NW optimum swell direction lines up perfectly. Wednesday is similar, with 8 ft NW swell and light cross-shore breezes, which is a little more manageable, but still a big wave. The caveat is that this long-period groundswell (9 seconds) can be a bit straight at beach breaks, but the North Jetty could handle it.

Then we get another big bump from Thursday the 6th through to Monday the 10th. The swell stays solid, mostly 8 ft to 12 ft from the NNW, with energy in the 1000 to 2000 range (strong to very strong). But the wind is persistent from the north and NNW, mostly cross-onshore at 9 to 12 mph. It's just consistently choppy and lumpy. Look for the early mornings, like Thursday the 6th morning, when the wind is light and onshore, giving you a shot at a 10 ft NNW swell, though it's still a beast.

The second week starts to fade slightly. From Monday the 10th to Tuesday the 11th, the swell drops to 6 ft to 6 ft, but the wind is still cross-onshore, so it's average at best. A glimmer of hope returns on Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th. Wednesday morning has a clean 10 ft NNW swell (9-second period) with light onshore NW wind. The energy is 1532. That's a big, chunky wave, but it could be your last chance for a solid session before the swell dies. By Friday the 14th, it's back to small, weak 3 ft SW groundswell with a long 15-second period, but the wind is up again.

So, to put it simply: the standout is Tuesday the 4th of August, with that big, clean 10 ft NW swell. If you're a strong surfer, that's your window. The second-best is Wednesday the 5th, with a slightly smaller 8 ft wave and light winds. The rest of the time, you're fighting the wind or dealing with massive, messy surf. Keep an eye on the long-range for Wednesday the 12th, but it's a promise, not a guarantee.

Rusty.

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