Oceanside Harbor Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the cards for Oceanside Harbor over the next couple of weeks. Straight up, it’s going to be a real flat spell for a while, and when there’s a pulse of swell, the wind is going to mess it up. Don’t get your hopes up too high.

We’ve got a long dry run ahead. The first few days through to the 17th of August are offering next to nothing. The wave energy is weak to moderate (283 to 718 in the tank), and the waves are tiny – 2ft to 4ft – with a long period groundswell out of the SSW/SW, but it’s all being chopped up by cross-onshore winds. The water temp is a whopping 75°, which is 7° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, you’ll be swimming in a bath.

The only break on the menu is Oceanside Harbor, a beach and jetty setup that’s exposed to the west. It’s very consistent but for a crew of advanced surfers only. The crowds are often there, so it’s not a secret. For the first week, the combo of tiny swell and those persistent cross-onshore breezes means the surf is basically unsurfable. Don’t bother paddling out until at least the 25th of August.

Now, into the second week, things perk up just a little. The mornings of the 25th and 26th of August show a slight improvement. On the 25th (Tuesday morning) we’ve got a 3ft SSW groundswell (period 17 seconds) with a gentle cross-onshore breeze. The combined energy climbs to 502 – moderate, but still a bit bumpy. The 26th (Wednesday morning) looks a touch better: 3ft SW swell, period 16 seconds, with a light cross-onshore breeze, giving cleaner conditions than we’ve seen. Energy is 501, and the afternoon of the 26th bumps to 4ft (period 16 seconds) with the same light cross-onshore wind and an energy of 559 – that’s the best of the whole run, but still just a marginal, questionable tide scenario.

After that, the 27th of August brings a slight increase in swell to 4ft, but a stronger S wind at 12 mph makes it choppy and poor.

Overall, there is no standout session here. The best on offer is the morning of Tuesday, 26th of August with that 3ft SW swell and light wind, but it’s still a marginal call. The long period of the swell (16 seconds) might give it a bit of shape, but at a beach and jetty break, it could break a bit straight. For a spot that’s very consistent, this is a bleak run, but forecasts can change.

Stay patient, keep an eye on the wind, and don’t rush out for these tiny, bumpy lines.

Rusty.

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