Oceanside Harbor Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the local surf scene, and I’ll be honest, it’s looking pretty flat and messy for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a long gap with no real surf on offer. The first chance to even think about it is a marginal call on Friday, August 14th. Before that, from the 7th through the 13th, it’s all poor conditions.

The only break we’re looking at is Oceanside Harbor (Oceanside-Harbor). It’s a beach and jetty spot, very consistent, but it’s exposed to the west. That’s the problem – the wind is blowing from the west and southwest for most of this period, putting it straight onshore or cross-on, messing up the surface. The water temp is about 75°F, which is way warmer than normal for this time of year – almost 8°F above average.

Let’s break it down. From Friday, August 7th, through Thursday, August 13th, it’s a total loss. The swell is tiny, 2 ft to 3 ft from the SSW, with long periods (13-20 seconds). The combined wave energy is in the 320 to 432 range (moderate energy), but it doesn’t help because the 9 mph westerly wind is putting a chop on everything. The report says “poor surf conditions” every single day.

On Friday, August 14th morning, we get the first marginal call. The swell is still small at 2 ft from the SSW, with an 18-second period, and the energy bumps up to 571 (moderate energy). The wind is still cross-on from the west at 9 mph, so it’ll be bumpy, but you might find a wave if you’re keen. The afternoon is back to “poor.” Saturday, August 15th, and Sunday, August 16th, see the swell size creep up to 3 ft - 4 ft, and the energy climbs to 656-722 (moderate energy), but the wind is still a cross-on mess. It won’t be clean.

From Monday, August 17th, onward, it’s the same story: small swell (2 ft to 3 ft), mostly SSW, with the wind either onshore or cross-on. The combined energy drops back to 199-393 (weak to moderate energy). The last few days, from the 20th to the 22nd, are just more small, choppy slop.

Because it’s a beach and jetty break, and the swell is too small with the wrong wind, this setup honestly looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing right now. The long period swells (15-19 seconds) we’re seeing would be great for a point or reef, but at a beach break with this wind, they’ll just close out.

There’s no good surf on offer. It’s a real blank run. Sometimes it just goes flat and messy, and that’s what we’ve got. Stay tuned, but don’t expect much.

Rusty.

Read more