Oceanside Harbor Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what's happening at Oceanside Harbor over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it's a bit of a flat spell to be straight with you. For a spot that's usually on the go, we're looking at a real quiet stretch. The water's feeling weirdly warm too, running about 2° warmer than what you'd expect for this time of year up here at the harbor – that's definitely noticeable.

We kick things off on Tuesday, August 18th, with the first small pulses of surf. The swell is coming from the SSW, kind of long-period around 16 to 17 seconds, but it's only pushing 2 ft. It's a groundswell, so those long waits between sets are a thing, but the energy is pretty mild at 385. The wind is light out of the WSW, so the mornings are holding clean, but the afternoon gets that cross-on kink. It’s really small and the setup isn't ideal for the jetty.

Wednesday the 19th sees a tiny bump to 3 ft from the same SSW direction. The combined energy nudges up to 451, which is still on the low side of moderate. Mornings are your best bet when the wind is light and offshore, but we're talking about marginal waves at best.

The rest of this week and into the next just drifts along. From Thursday the 20th right through to the end of August, we're stuck with tiny swell – nothing over 3 ft, and a lot of mornings around 2 ft or 2 ft. The swell direction hangs in the SSW to SW window, with periods that vary but don't really change the story. The combined energy dips well below 400 most days, and the wind is a constant cross-on, either light or a gentle breeze, keeping things choppy and uninviting for a proper paddle. This stretch from the afternoon of the 21st through to the 27th is a real dead zone.

There is a tiny glimmer as we tick over into the first week of September. The morning of Sunday the 30th of August shows a bit more juice, with the swell reaching 3 ft from the SSW with a 15-second period and combined energy of 474. The wind is still a cross-on, but it's light. The following Monday the 31st holds similar 3 ft to 3 ft swell. The problem is, all these sessions are rated as poor or marginal.

Looking way out to that first week of September, the swell hangs in there between 2 ft and 3 ft, but the wind stays on the wrong side of the compass with a gentle cross-on breeze. It’s going to look pretty average.

So, where's the standout? I can't give you one. The best on offer might be Wednesday morning, August 19th, with that 3 ft swell and light offshore wind making for the cleanest surface. It's small, but at least it won't be a complete mess. For the rest, you’re waiting on a real pulse, and this forecast doesn't show one. It's more of a time to clean the wax off your boards than a time to be in the water.

Rusty.

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