Oswald State Park/Short Sands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's break down what's on the table for the next couple of weeks. Honestly, I've gotta call it straight up – this is a tough stretch. The forecast is calling for a whole lot of nothing special, with plenty of days where the conditions are just plain messy. We've got a solid gap of poor surf right through the first week, and while there's a few moments that might be worth a paddle, there's nothing to get truly excited about. The water temp is sitting at 60°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no need to dig out the extra neoprene just yet.

The best we can really hope for is a moment on Sunday morning, August 2nd, at Oswald State Park/Short Sands. We're looking at a 5 ft swell rolling in from the west, with a period of 9 seconds. The wind is a light 10 km/h from the northwest, giving us a cross-on breeze that'll keep things a bit rippled but not totally blown out. The combined energy is moderate at 436. It's a "marginal" call, and the swell direction is coming from the W, not the ideal SW from the guide, so it's not going to be perfect. But honestly, it's the least offensive option in the whole window.

The rest of the first week is a write-off. From Sunday afternoon right through to the following Saturday, August 8th, it's a mess of cross-shore winds, lumpy chop, and small, weak swell. The wind is consistently from the north or northwest, between 15 and 35 km/h, making for terrible conditions. The swell stays small, between 3 ft and 5 ft, but with periods as short as 6 or 7 seconds, there's no power or shape. Don't bother.

The second week doesn't offer much relief. There are a few mornings with a lighter breeze, but the swell is still tiny, around 2 ft to 5 ft, and the wind is still cross or cross-on. The 16th of August (Sunday) morning shows a 5 ft swell from the WNW with a 10 km/h NW wind, but again, it's a cross-on, and the rating is "poor." The long-period swell that shows up around the 12th and 13th of August, with periods of 15-16 seconds, is coming from the west, but it's only 2 ft – that's an incredibly long wait for a tiny, weak wave. Those long-period groundswells are best for a point or reef, but with no size, there's nothing to work with.

Really, this is a period where the conditions look more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer, given the consistent cross-shore wind and the lack of quality surf. The forecasts can always change, but for now, keep your expectations low.

Rusty.

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