Oceanside Harbor Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m gonna level with you straight up — this 16-day window for Oceanside Harbor is a tough one. We’ve got a real dry spell on our hands, so don’t be in a rush to grab your board. The first week is basically a write-off; the swell is all over the place, the wind is mostly cross-onshore, and the energy is weak. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor conditions, with a few days that are barely marginal. The water’s sitting at 76°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year — over 7°F warmer, actually, so that’s pretty unusual.

Monday the 10th kicks off with some clouds and a light 6 mph onshore breeze, but the swell is tiny at 3 ft out of the SSW, and the combined energy is only 319 — weak. The wave comment says it’s poor. Tuesday and Wednesday don’t get any better; the wind turns cross-onshore, and the swell drops to 2 ft to 2 ft. Thursday through to the next Monday, August 17th, is the same old story: cross-onshore wind, small swell between 2 ft and 3 ft, and energy numbers that barely climb above 500. The best of that lot is Saturday the 15th afternoon, with a 4 ft swell from the SSW and combined energy of 717, but it’s still only a marginal call.

Then from August 18th to the 23rd, it’s a real desert. The swell drops to 1 ft to 2 ft, and the wind is either cross-onshore or onshore. The energy is down in the 100s and 200s — weak. No surf to speak of.

Now, the one little glimmer in all this comes on Monday the 24th of August. That afternoon, the wind goes glassy — 0 mph from the WNW — and the swell is 2 ft out of the SW with a period of 17 seconds. Combined energy is 269. The wave comment says “expect good surf conditions.” It’s not big, but it’s clean, and that’s a rare thing in this outlook. The long period means the waves will have some shape, but at a beach/jetty setup like this, it might break a bit straight. Still, for a paddle, that’s the session to aim for. Tuesday the 25th morning is marginal, but the glassy window is the standout.

Crowds at Oceanside Harbor are often an issue, so if you’re heading out on that Monday afternoon, expect some company. Overall, it’s a lean fortnight. The forecast can always change, but right now, I’d say wait for that glassy afternoon on the 24th.

Rusty.

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