Oceanside Harbor Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, same story but in feet and miles.

Overall, it’s a pretty flat and quiet stretch. The first few days have a bit of waist-high swell rollin’ in, but the wind and tide aren’t cooperating. The real problem is the wind—it’s cross-onshore or onshore through most of the first week, messing up what little wave energy we’ve got. The surf is small and marginal, and honestly, it’s not looking like much fun for paddling. The water is sitting at 69°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least it’ll feel nice just sitting out there.

The overnight and early morning of Monday, July 6th kicks off with a 3ft SSW swell, period 16 seconds, and a combined energy of 575. That’s a long-period groundswell, but the wind is cross-onshore from the W at 9 mph, so it’s gonna be choppy. Tuesday morning, July 7th, brings a slight bump up to 4ft SSW, still 18 seconds, with an onshore wind from the SW at 6 mph. That’s still messy. The combined energy jumps to 837, but the wind kills the quality. Wednesday morning, July 8th, is similar at 4ft SSW, 16 seconds, with the same onshore wind. Not worth rushing out.

By Friday, July 10th, the swell drops to 3ft, period 15 seconds, and the wind picks up to 12 mph from the S, making it choppy. Scores are poor. That trend continues right through the weekend and into the next week. There’s a gap from about July 10 through July 13 where the surf is just not worth paddling for. The energy drops steadily, and the wind is cross-onshore or onshore.

Now, there’s a little flicker of life on Saturday, July 18th. The swell picks up to 3ft from the SW, period 17-18 seconds, and combined energy hits 511-549. That’s a long-period groundswell, but it’s still cross-onshore from the W at 6-9 mph. It’s marginal, but it’s the best energy we’ll see in the second week. The wave heights are still small, so it’s a beginner-friendly size, but the wind won’t make it glassy.

The very end of the forecast, Monday, July 20th and Tuesday, July 21st, shows a bit more consistency: 3ft to 3ft SW, 15-16 seconds, with light cross-onshore winds. The combined energy is around 379-547. It’s still not clean, but it’s the closest thing to a standout in the whole run. The wind is light, so there’s a chance of a few workable waves if you’re patient.

The standout: Honestly, the best bet is Tuesday, July 21st morning. The swell is 3ft from the SW, period 16 seconds, with a light cross-onshore breeze from the W at 6 mph. The combined energy is 547. It’s not perfect, but it’s the most consistent and has the best chance of a few clean lines. The swell direction matches the optimum from the W for this spot, but it’s still a beach/jetty setup, so don’t expect perfection. Crowds are often here, so expect company.

The water temperature anomaly is 3°F, so it’s a touch warmer than usual, but that’s not a huge factor.

Rusty.

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