Oceanside Harbor Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's coming our way for Oceanside.

The next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and uninspiring overall. There's a long stretch of marginal to poor conditions, so don't expect much for a while. The first real chance of anything decent doesn't show up until late in the period. Between now and then, there are many days with nothing worthwhile to chase.

Let's talk specifics. The outlook kicks off on Thursday, September 10th. The water is sitting at a nice 71°, which feels a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. But that's about the only positive. We've got a small 3 ft swell from the SW with a very long 16-second period, giving a moderate combined energy of 558. That long period and SW direction is a classic groundswell setup, which often needs a good bank to work. At Oceanside Harbor, a beach/jetty setup, that long period means it could be a bit too straight-breaking. The wind is a light cross-on from the South at 6 mph, which will put some small ripples on the face. It's a marginal surf forecast, and not worth paddling out for.

The following week is a write-off. From Friday the 11th all the way through to Sunday the 20th of September, the swell drops even further, with heights barely scraping 2 ft to 3 ft. The winds stay mostly cross-on and light to gentle, but the energy is weak (values between 225 and 574) and the conditions are consistently described as "poor." There are days when we get a touch of onshore breeze, but nothing to get excited about.

The real standout, if you can call it that, starts to build from Monday, September 21st, into the following weekend. The swell finally bumps up a notch, hovering around 3 ft to 4 ft from the SW, with periods settling around 16 to 17 seconds. The combined energy starts to climb into the moderate range (values from 542 up to 729). This is still not big, but it's more than we've seen. The problem is the wind. All these days are forecast to be cross-on with a gentle to moderate breeze, keeping the surface bumpy.

For my pick of the period, I’d have to say Saturday, September 19th is the least-worst option of the first week, and Monday, September 21st is the best bet for the second week. On the 19th, we get a tiny bit of onshore wind and a small 3 ft SW swell (period 18s, energy 572). It's still marginal, but the morning might be worth a look if you're desperate. For the 21st, we have a 3 ft to 4 ft SW swell with a 17-second period and that moderate energy (648-729). The wind is onshore or light cross-on from the WSW. It's likely to be a bit soft and lined up, but given the surrounding flatness, this is the best on offer. Remember, this is a long-range call and a bit uncertain, but it's all we've got.

Overall, it's a pretty grim outlook for paddling. With the small, weak swell and persistent cross-on wind, this setup looks far more interesting for kite surfing than your standard paddle session. Keep the board in the car, but don't hold your breath.

Rusty.

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