Oswald State Park/Short Sands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s just call it like it is: the next two weeks at Oswald State Park / Short Sands are a real bummer. The water is sitting at 54°, which is a solid 5° colder than normal for this time of year – that’s a serious chill, so you’ll want a thick wetsuit.

We’re looking at a long stretch of nothing. The first few days are all tiny swell and messy wind – cross and cross-onshore. The surf is just poor. This spot doesn’t break often, and this is one of those quiet runs.

We finally get a tiny flicker on Friday the 10th in the morning. A light offshore wind from the W with a 2ft SW swell, but it’s marginal at best. Not worth a paddle.

By Friday afternoon the 10th, the swell picks up to about 4ft from the WNW, but it’s a short period of 8 seconds and the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s going to be choppy and weak.

The weekend of the 11th and 12th shows a bit more size – around 4ft from the WNW – but the wind stays messy, and it’s still poor.

The only real chance in the whole outlook – and it’s a thin one – is on Tuesday the 14th. Morning and afternoon show a 3ft W swell with a light wind, almost glassy. It’s still only marginal, but that’s the cleanest we’ll see. The energy is moderate, but with a short period of 8 seconds, the waves won’t have much punch.

After that, it’s back to the same garbage: stronger winds, bigger chop, and poor surf right through the 23rd. The swell energy gets high (over 600 on the 17th), but the wind is fresh and cross-shore, making it lumpy. A 5ft NW swell on the afternoon of the 20th might look big, but with a fresh 18 mph crosswind and a short 8-second period, it’s going to be a blown-out mess. That’s kite-surfing weather, not paddle surfing.

Honestly, the only thing to note is a very small window on the 14th if you’re just desperate for a clean, tiny wave. Otherwise, this is a long, flat stretch. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a hard pass.

Rusty.

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