Otter Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next 16 days.

Honestly, I gotta be straight with you – there’s not a single solid surf recommendation in this whole window. Otter Rock is the only break we’ve got to work with, and it’s a point that usually can handle a bit of swell, but the conditions just aren’t coming together. The forecast is a long grind of poor surf, with only a few moments that barely scrape “marginal.” If you’re desperate for a paddle, you might find something, but don’t expect any real quality.

Let’s run through it. Starting Friday, July 24, the morning serves up some clouds with a light cross-onshore breeze at 6 mph and a weak 3.9 ft NW swell at 9 seconds – combined energy only 338 (moderate, but messy). The afternoon clears up but the swell drops to 1.6 ft from the SW with a very long 24-second period (energy 537). That’s a groundswell, but it’s tiny and the wind goes onshore. Not worth getting wet.

Saturday July 25 is worse: moderate cross-shore wind from the SSW at 12 mph, 2.0 ft WSW swell (22 sec, energy 498) in the morning, then 3.0 ft SW (21 sec, energy 916) in the afternoon – but it’s cross-onshore and choppy. Scores are zero across the board.

Sunday July 26 and Monday July 27 are marginal at best. Light onshore winds, small swell around 3.0 ft from SW/WSW, periods dropping from 20 to 18 seconds. Energy hangs around 600–800, but the wave comment says “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide.” The afternoon Monday actually has a clean-ish onshore wind from WNW, but still small and not worth a special trip.

Tuesday July 28 through Thursday July 30 are all poor or marginal with cross-onshore winds, swell 2.6–3.0 ft, period 16–17 seconds, energy 400–600. The wind picks up on Wednesday afternoon to a moderate cross-shore from NNW at 16 mph, creating chop. Friday July 31 to Saturday August 1 sees a shift to NW wind, but it’s cross or cross-on, and the swell jumps to 3.9–4.9 ft from WNW with a short period of 8 seconds – that’s windswell, not groundswell. Energy drops to 300–400. Still poor.

Sunday August 2 through Tuesday August 4 keep the same pattern: NW wind, cross-shore, 3.3–4.9 ft swell from NW with periods as low as 6 seconds on August 4. Energy down to 137–377. That’s weak, chopped, and ugly. For a point break like Otter Rock, long-period groundswell from the W would be ideal, but we’re getting short-period NW windswell and onshore winds.

Read more