Oceanside Harbor Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Oceanside over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first week or so is a bit of a grind. We’ve got a long period groundswell running, but it’s small and the wind is messing it up. It’s not a total washout, but you’ll be working for whatever you get. The real standout, the one that’s got my heart beating a little faster, is waiting for us right at the end of the month.

We’ll start at Oceanside Harbor. The water is running at 72°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so you can leave the thick suit at home.

The first couple of days, from Saturday the 18th to Monday the 20th, are a tough sell. We’ve got a clean 3ft to 3ft groundswell out of the SW, but it’s blown out by an onshore breeze. The wave energy is moderate (445 to 812), but the quality is poor. Honestly, it’s more of a paddle than a surf.

Tuesday the 21st through Thursday the 23rd? The swell bumps up a touch to 3ft to 4ft, still from the SSW, but the wind is still a problem. It’s either onshore or a cross-onshore breeze, keeping things choppy and messy. The energy is still moderate (478 to 739), but the surf conditions are poor to marginal at best. Not really worth the effort for a few close-outs.

Then Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th, something interesting happens. The swell drops a bit to 2ft to 3ft, but the period jumps way up to 24 seconds. That’s a very long period groundswell. The energy shoots up to strong (976 on Friday, 1104 on Saturday). The wind is light and onshore, but with that kind of period, these waves are going to be super clean, lined up, and have that long-period push. For a beach/jetty setup, it might break a little straight, but on a good tide, the sets could be really fun. The scores are still low because of the small size, but the quality of the wave shape should be a big step up from the week before.

Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th look promising. The swell is 4ft to 4ft out of the SW and SSW, with a solid 18 to 19 second period. The energy is strong (953 to 1334). The wind is light and variable, mostly cross-onshore, just creating small ripples. This is the best window before the main event. The waves should have decent shape and enough push for a good session.

Alright, here’s the one you’ve been waiting for. Tuesday the 28th of July. The morning sees a 4ft SSW swell with a 17-second period and light cross-onshore wind. The energy is strong (1182). But the afternoon session is the real standout. The swell picks up to 5ft from the SSW, with an 18-second period, and the wind goes light and offshore. The wave energy is very strong (1437). This is the best combination of size, period, and clean wind in the entire forecast. For advanced surfers, this is going to be a day to remember. For beginners, 5ft is getting a bit big, so be careful.

The swell hangs in there through Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th, with 4ft to 4ft waves, but the wind turns more cross-onshore, making it choppier.

Friday the 31st and Saturday the 1st of August see the swell size peak again. Friday afternoon has a 6ft S swell with a 15-second period and light cross-onshore wind. The energy is very strong (1510). This is solid, powerful surf, but with the wind not quite clean, it might be a bit lumpy. Saturday the 1st has a 6ft S swell, but the period drops to 12 seconds and the wind is stronger cross-onshore, making it less attractive.

By Sunday the 2nd of August, it’s all over. The swell drops to 2ft to 2ft from the SSW with a short 8-second period, the energy is weak (119 to 240), and the wind is cross-onshore. Back to flat and choppy.

So, for the best on offer, don’t waste your time on the first week. The real window is from Sunday the 26th of July through Tuesday the 28th of July. If you can only pick one day, make it Tuesday the 28th of July afternoon – clean, 5ft, long period, and offshore wind. That’s the one.

Rusty

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