Oswald State Park/Short Sands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for Oswald State Park/Short Sands over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you – this forecast is a tough one. The models are showing a real flat spell with poor conditions, and there’s a long gap before we see anything that’s even worth paddling out for.

The water temp is sitting at 54.7°F – that’s a full 4.3°F below normal for this time of year, so it feels much colder than usual. You’ll want a good thick wetsuit, maybe boots, right from the get-go.

We kick off the outlook on Saturday afternoon, July 18th, but it’s a no-go. There’s a tiny 2.3ft swell from the WNW, but it’s from a 16-second period groundswell, so the energy is moderate (570). The problem is the wind is howling from the NNW at 15.5 mph, crossed-up, making it choppy and messy. The surf quality is poor. Not worth looking at.

Sunday, July 19th is more of the same. The swell bumps up to 3.9ft in the morning and 4.6ft in the afternoon, but the period drops to a short, weak 8 seconds. The energy is moderate (345 to 431), but the wind stays cross-shore from the NNW at 12.4 to 15.5 mph. It’s just a crumbly, wind-affected mess. Poor surf.

Monday, July 20th through Thursday, July 23rd – the next four days are a write-off. The swell stays around 3.3ft to 4.6ft, but the period is lousy (8 seconds), and the wind is either cross-on or onshore from the WNW and WSW. We’re talking marginal to poor conditions with a light chop. The energy is moderate (291 to 449), but it’s just not clean. There’s a gap of about 4 to 5 days here where you’d be better off doing something else.

Friday, July 24th – The northwesterly wind picks up to 9.3 to 12.4 mph, making it cross-on and choppy. Swell is 3.6ft to 4.3ft from the NW at 9 seconds. Still poor. No thanks.

Saturday, July 25th – A new long-period groundswell from the SW shows up, with a tiny 1.6ft swell in the morning and 2.3ft in the afternoon. The period jumps to 21-23 seconds, which is very long. The energy is moderate (380 to 539). But the wind is still cross-on from the WNW to NW at 9.3 mph, creating a bit of a chop. The surf quality is still poor. That long period is a tease – it’s just too small to do anything with in these conditions.

Sunday, July 26th – This is the first glimmer of hope. The SW groundswell holds at 2.3ft to 2.6ft, with a solid 19-20 second period. The energy is moderate (478 to 540). The wind shifts to light breezes from the SSW and WSW, becoming cross and cross-on. It’s still marginal, but the score is a 2 out of 10, which is the best we’ve seen. It’s not a standout, but it’s the closest thing to a surfable session in the whole run. Crowds are possible here.

Monday, July 27th – Similar story. Swell is 2.6ft from the SW at 18 seconds. Energy is moderate (611 to 619). The wind is light and cross-on from the WSW and NW. Still marginal (score 2), but it’s the best of the week. The longer period swell means better shape, but it’s going to be a bit wobbly at this beach break. It’s a small wave, but it’s rideable.

Tuesday, July 28th – It drops off again. The wind cranks up from the NNW at 12.4 to 15.5 mph, cross-shore with a chop. Swell is 2.0ft to 2.3ft, period 16-19 seconds. The energy is moderate (467 to 606), but the wind kills it. Poor conditions.

Wednesday, July 29th through Friday, July 31st – A long stretch of poor surf. The swell stays tiny (2.0ft to 2.6ft) from the

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