Oceanside Harbor Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with you – the next 16 days at Oceanside Harbor are a tough watch. The first week is a write-off, with hardly any surf worth paddling out for. The good news is, things start to stir from Monday, 21 July onwards, with a steady run of moderate swell and improving conditions. The standout window is the tail end of the second week, but let’s walk through it.

Right now, through Thursday, 16 July, it’s tiny. We’re looking at a weak 2 ft swell out of the SW with a long 16-second period, but the cross-onshore wind from the SSW is chopping it up. The ocean’s got a low hum of energy (221), but it’s not doing anything for us. That pattern sticks – Friday and Saturday see the same small, messy surf, with the swell staying under 3 ft. The water temp is sitting at 72°, which is a massive 6° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, so you’ll be sweating in a shorty or even boardies if you’re tough enough.

Sunday, 19 July, finally sees a bump. The swell jumps to 6 ft from the SSW, with a moderate 14-second period, and the energy picks up to 1333. The morning has offshore wind from the SW – that’s clean, glassy potential. But the score is low, and the notes say “marginal” with questionable tide, so it’s not a guaranteed winner. If you’re desperate, you might find a few, but it’s not the standout.

The real pick of the litter is Saturday, 25 July, into Sunday, 26 July. Saturday morning has 5 ft from the SSW with a 13-second period, offshore wind from the SSW, and energy roaring at 1636. The harbour is a beach/jetty setup, so that long-period swell (13 secs isn’t super long, but it’s decent) should wrap in nicely. The wind is light and onshore-delivering, so expect clean, lined-up waves. Best for advanced surfers only – 5 ft is manageable. Sunday, 26 July, keeps it solid with 4 ft from the SW, but the period stretches to 19 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell with a very long period. Energy is 1345, and the wind is light offshore from the WSW. This is a classic setup for a jetty break: well-shaped, powerful waves with long lulls between sets. The water is still super warm, so you’ll be comfortable.

Crowds at Oceanside Harbor are often present, so expect company on those days. The optimum swell direction is W, and while we’re getting SSW and SW, it’s close enough to work. For the best, I’d barrel the Saturday morning, 25 July, for the combo of size, clean wind, and consistency. The Sunday morning, 26 July, is a close second for the quality of that long-period groundswell.

After that, the last few days of July and into August taper off again – small 3 ft to 3 ft cross-onshore junk. It’s a frustrating run, but that Saturday and Sunday in the second week are your only real chances. Don’t sleep on ’em.

Rusty.

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