Oswald State Park/Short Sands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a long, hard look at the surf ahead for Oswald State Park/Short Sands.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this outlook is a grind. We're looking at a solid wall of poor conditions for the first week and a half, so don't be in a rush to grab your board. The water is sitting at 58°, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

The whole run kicks off on Thursday, July 30th, with a small 2ft south-west groundswell, but a cross-onshore breeze is just gonna mess it all up. That same pattern of small, messy surf with onshore or cross-offshore wind hangs around day after day. We get a little bump in size on Sunday, August 2nd, with 5ft waves from the west, but a 16 mph cross-onshore wind from the NNW will turn it into a choppy mess. The energy is there, you can see it in the numbers (364), but the wind is the enemy.

Monday and Tuesday, August 3rd and 4th, are a write-off with strong winds up to 22 mph creating lumpy, ugly conditions. Honestly, with that much wind and a beach setup, this looks way more interesting for kite surfing than for a proper paddle session.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn't show up until the morning of Wednesday, August 5th. We've got a 5ft swell from the west-northwest, but with a gentle cross-shore breeze that might just keep things clean enough for a look. It's marginal, but it's the first time the stars even sort of align. After that, the wind goes nuts again in the afternoon.

Now, for the standout. Hold on to your wetsuits for Thursday, August 6th. The morning brings a solid 8ft swell from the northwest, with a clean 10-second period. The wind is light and onshore from the west, which isn't perfect, but the sheer power is undeniable – look at that combined energy of 1015. This is proper, powerful groundswell. That said, at over 8ft, this is strictly for the experienced crew. Beginners, sit this one out. This is the only true standout in the whole 16-day window, but it's got some real potential for the right surfer at Oswald.

After that Thursday peak, the swell eases back into the 6ft to 7ft range through the second week, but we're fighting cross-onshore winds again. The energy stays up (between 500 and 800+), but the quality just isn't there. The wind just won't play ball consistently. A few mornings might be worth a dawny for a hopeful head with a 6ft to 7ft swell and light winds, but don't expect perfection.

Overall, the one day to circle is Thursday, August 6th. For the rest of it, it's a waiting game. Keep an eye on those forecasts, because when it's this flat and messy, it usually doesn't stay that way for long, but this stretch is a real test of patience.

Rusty.

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