Out Front Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s get real about the local surf outlook for the next couple of weeks.

Straight up: it’s a pretty bleak picture, folks. There are stretches of days with nothing worth getting wet for. We’re looking at a lot of small, weak, and messy conditions. The first real chance of anything surfable doesn’t show up until late in the run.

Over the next week, from Friday the 17th right through to Thursday the 30th of July, there’s a whole lot of “poor surf conditions” on the cards. We’re talking tiny swell, often under 2ft, with short periods and a lot of cross-shore or onshore wind messing it up. The combined wave energy is weak, often under 100 (like 5 to 77). You’d be wasting your time. Even the morning of Sunday the 19th has clean conditions with a light offshore, but only a 2ft S swell at 7 seconds – basically a lake with a ripple. Not worth it.

Now, there is a blip on the radar. On the morning of Wednesday, July 22nd, we see a sudden jump in energy. There’s a 7ft S swell at 8 seconds, with a combined energy of 656 (moderate wave energy). But the wind is a strong cross-shore breeze at 25 mph, making it messy and cross-choppy. Because of that, the conditions are still called “poor”. The size is enough for a paddle, but it looks pretty ugly. That setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, to be honest. That’s the only half-decent pulse of energy in the whole period.

After that, it’s back to tiny dribble for days. For a brief moment on Thursday the 30th of July, we get glassy conditions in the afternoon with a 1ft SE swell – but it’s still just small and weak.

The only morning that gets a score of “1” is Friday, July 24th. That morning, Out Front has a 2ft ESE swell at 8 seconds with clean conditions and a light cross-offshore breeze. The combined energy is only 54 (weak). It’s surfable but very ordinary. Not a standout, just the least bad option.

The water is running at 78°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s a nice thing, but it doesn’t make up for the lack of swell.

In short: don’t hold your breath for anything good. There are long gaps with no recommendations. A little pulse on the 22nd might be interesting for kites, but for the rest of us, it’s a two-week blank run. That’s just how it goes here sometimes.

Stay patient, check back later.

- Rusty

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