Oceanside Harbor Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’m gonna be straight with you. It’s a tough stretch ahead for Oceanside Harbor. This is a beach/jetty setup, exposed to the west, and the swell is coming from the SSW and SW, which is okay direction-wise, but the size just isn’t there for most of the run. The water is sitting at 70° right now, which is about 4° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s noticeably warm, almost feels like bathwater.

Right now, on Saturday the 11th, we’ve got a 3ft SSW swell with a 15-second period, which is proper long-period groundswell, but the wind is cross-on from the SSW at 9 mph, and it’s choppy. The combined energy is moderate at 490. It’s a poor session. That afternoon, the wind drops to 3 mph and goes onshore, but the swell is even smaller at 3ft. It’s marginal at best. Sunday the 12th looks similar – 3ft, 14-second period, but the wind is onshore or cross-on, so it’s messy. The whole first week, from the 11th through the 17th, is basically a write-off. There’s a gap of nearly zero surf worth paddling out for. The swell barely creeps above 2ft and the period is long, but the wind just ruins it every time. It’s a real bummer.

Now, the first faint glimmer of hope shows up on Saturday the 18th. The morning sees a 3ft SW swell, 18-second period, and the wind is light and onshore from the WSW at 6 mph. The combined energy jumps to 628 – that’s moderate energy, and there’s a long period. The conditions are still marginal, but that’s the best we’ve seen in a week. Sunday the 19th is similar, with a 3-3ft SW swell, 17-second period, and light cross-on wind. The energy is strong at 696 for the morning and 630 in the afternoon. It’s still not clean, but it’s the closest we get to okay.

The second week drags on with similar-sized swell, but the wind stays mostly cross-on or onshore, so it’s always a bit lumpy. Tuesday the 21st has a 3-4ft SSW swell, but the wind picks up to 12 mph by the afternoon, making it choppy. The energy is moderate to strong, but the quality is poor. The real standout, if you can call it that, is Saturday the 25th. The afternoon sees a 3ft SW swell with a 20-second period – that’s very long-period groundswell. The combined energy is a strong 906. The wind is still cross-on from the WSW at 9 mph, so it’s not glassy, but that’s the most energy we’ve seen all forecast. Sunday the 26th morning has a 3ft SW swell, 18-second period, with light cross-on wind and energy at 756. It’s the best of a bad bunch.

Truth is, this is a flat spell with no real standouts. The long period stuff is there, but the wind never lets it get clean. The break is inconsistent for quality waves, and the crowds are often there, so even when it’s marginal, you’ll have company. For a beginner, the swell is small enough, but the conditions are so poor it’s not worth the drive. For an expert, there’s nothing to get excited about. If you’re a kite surfer, the cross-on wind and small swell might actually look fun, but for paddle surfing, it’s a long wait.

Rusty.

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