Oswald State Park/Short Sands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's talk about what's on the table for Oswald State Park/Short Sands.

Honestly, it's a rough stretch ahead. We're looking at a solid 16-day window, but the surf quality is just not there for most of it. The biggest issue is that the wind is locked in from the wrong direction for this spot, and the swell is struggling to find a groove. The water is a chilly 55°F, which is a full 4°F colder than normal for this time of year, so you'll want a good hood and gloves.

The first week is a total write-off. Starting Thursday the 16th, we have a weak 2 foot swell from the W with a very long 18-second period, but the wind is a messy cross-onshore. The combined wave energy is 435 (moderate), but the conditions are just poor. Friday the 17th isn't much better, with a marginal 3 foot swell from the WNW and a light cross-onshore breeze. The whole weekend through the 20th stays poor, with the wind picking up and the swell getting messy and short-period. There's a little pocket of hope on Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd, with the swell dropping to around 4 feet and the wind easing, but it's still only a "marginal" call with a short 8-second period providing weak, fat waves. The energy is moderate but dropping (from 369 down to 280). You'd be fighting for a knee-high slop.

The second week feels a bit more promising, but it's still a long-range gamble. The biggest change is a new long-period groundswell from the SW arriving around Saturday the 25th. The morning of the 25th still looks poor with a cross-onshore wind, but the afternoon of the 25th is the standout. The wind swings to a light offshore from the W, and we get a 2 foot swell from the SW with a very long 21-second period. The combined energy jumps to 582 (moderate). The period is so long that it might be walled up and a bit tricky at a beach break, but if you can find a better peak, it could be glassy and clean. That's the best we've got in the whole window. Monday the 27th sees a similar 3 foot SW swell (18 seconds) with 571 combined energy, but the wind is back to a cross-onshore, so it's a drop-off in quality. The rest of the week into the 31st is a mix of moderate winds and messy cross-onshore conditions.

The standout, if you can call it that, is the afternoon of Saturday the 25th. The 2 feet of SW groundswell with that very long period and a light offshore wind is the only time the stars align for a clean session. It's not big, but it's the cleanest wave we're going to see. For the rest of the window, the conditions are just too inconsistent or choppy. If you're a beginner, the swell never gets above 5 feet, so that's fine, but the poor conditions make it an unappealing prospect for everyone.

Rusty.

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