Oswald State Park/Short Sands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s looking like a pretty flat stretch ahead for us. We’ve got a long gap coming, so don’t get your hopes up too high.

Right now, we’re looking at the next 16 days, and honestly, it’s a tough outlook. We’ve got a bit of a pulse on Monday morning, but it’s not pretty. The water is hangin’ around 56° – a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll want a good wetsuit.

The first real chance to get wet is Monday, July 20th. Short Sands (Oswald State Park) is showing some swell, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The morning has a 5 ft swell from the WNW with a period of 8 seconds, giving us moderate wave energy (443). The wind is onshore from the west at 6 mph, so it’s gonna be a bit bumpy. The afternoon is the standout for the first day: the wind drops to a glassy 3 mph from the WNW, with the swell dropping slightly to 4 ft. That’s the cleanest window we’ll see for a few days. The wave energy is still moderate (411). For a beginner spot, 4 to 5 ft is doable, but it’s not great quality.

After that Monday afternoon, it’s a long, painful dry spell. Tuesday through to Thursday, July 21st to 23rd, is all poor surf conditions, with small, weak swells and cross-onshore winds that will chop everything up. Friday, July 24th, has a bit more size at 5 ft (NW), but the wind is from the SSW, making it cross-onshore, and the energy is moderate (502). It’s still not a good call.

The weekend of July 25th and 26th gets interesting in a weird way. We see a very long-period groundswell from the SW, with periods over 20 seconds. The swell height is tiny, only 2 ft to 3 ft, but the energy is surprisingly strong (417 to 642). That’s a classic case of a long-period, small swell that will break straight at a beach break like Short Sands, making it hard to get a proper ride. It’s better suited for a point or reef, but it’s just not breaking well here. The wind is light, but the quality is marginal.

From July 27th all the way to August 4th, it’s a grim run. The wind picks up, the swell stays small or weak, and the wave energy drops into the weak to moderate range. There’s nothing worth paddling out for. The best bet is to sit this one out.

The true standout, if you can call it that, is Monday afternoon, July 20th. It’s the only window with glassy conditions and a bit of swell. The rest of the 16-day window is a washout for this spot.

Stay patient, and don’t force it. Conditions will change.

Rusty.

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