Otter Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright crew, Rusty here. Gotta level with you – this 16-day stretch for Otter Rock is a real bummer. We’re looking at a long patch of mostly poor conditions, with just a couple of little windows that might mess with your head.

The water temp is sitting at 54°F right now, which is 4°F colder than usual for this time of year. That’s a real chill, so you’ll want a thick steamer if you’re even thinking about it.

The week starts off rough. Monday the 20th has a bit of swell – 5ft from the NW with a short 8-second period (moderate combined energy of 612). But the wind is cross-on at 6 mph, and the call is marginal. Not worth the paddle. Tuesday and Wednesday drop right down to a tiny 2ft, though Wednesday morning the 22nd has a moment of pure glass. The swell is a long-period 14 seconds from the SW (384 combined energy), but it’s so small you’d need a micro-surfboard. That glassy spell is the closest thing to a standout in the first week, but it’s a real tease.

Thursday the 23rd picks up a bit to 4ft from the NW (9 seconds, 407 energy), but the wind is cross-on and then onshore, keeping things messy and poor. Friday the 24th bumps up to 5ft (9 seconds, 652 energy) in the morning, but again, that cross-on wind ruins it. Saturday the 25th throws in a massive 22-second period swell from the WSW (2ft, 572 energy) – that’s a very long period groundswell, which is a rare treat for a point break like Otter Rock, but it’s tiny and the wind is cross-on. For the rest of the first week, it’s a grind of poor conditions and small, short-period junk.

The second week is a total washout. From Monday the 27th onward, the swell is small – 2ft to 3ft – and the wind is a relentless cross or cross-on breeze, often picking up to 12-18 mph. The wave energy drops from moderate into the weak range (down to 142 by August 1st). The combined energy value barely cracks 200 most days, and the wind is a stiff cross-shore chop. By August 4th, the swell bumps up to 6ft (8 seconds, 436 energy), but with a fresh 18 mph cross wind, it’s a choppy, lumpy mess. This whole setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Look, I hate to be the one to say it, but for Otter Rock, this is a blank run. There’s nothing in the 16-day window that I’d call a proper surf. The only tiny glimmer is Wednesday morning the 22nd with that glassy, tiny, long-period bump. But honestly, just wait for the next forecast.

Rusty.

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