Panoramas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, the outlook is a tough one to swallow. We’re lookin’ at a long stretch of mostly small, weak, and messy conditions. The first recommendation for actual surf doesn’t show up until the morning of Friday, 17 July, and even then, it’s nothing to write home about. There’s a big gap from the start of the period all the way through to that point with nothing worth paddling out for.

That first real window of opportunity comes on Friday, 17 July, with a morning session at Panoramas. The swell is a tiny 3 ft out of the NW, with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy of all swells directed here is weak, at 107, so it’s not powerful. The wind is a light cross-offshore breeze from the SE at 6 mph, which makes for clean conditions. It’s surfable, but it’s very ordinary. The water temperature is about average for this time of year.

Saturday, 18 July, mirrors that – a clean morning with a 3 ft NW swell, 8-second period, and light cross-offshore ESE wind at 9 mph. Combined energy is 111, still weak. It’s a similar story: you’ll get a wave, but it’s not going to light your fire.

The best on offer, and the only true standout in the whole 16-day window, is actually the morning of Thursday, 24 July. That’s a long way off, so keep the expectations tempered. The morning looks glassy – calm wind from the SSW at only 3 mph – with a 3 ft NW swell, an 8-second period, and combined energy of 101. It’s small, but clean, glassy surf is a rare treat. The waves will be tiny, but at least they’ll be smooth. This is your best bet, but it’s a week and a half away. Crowds are possible at Panoramas, so keep that in mind.

Throughout the rest of the period, the wind is mostly cross-onshore or onshore, and the swell stays in the 1 ft to 4 ft range, with weak energy. Wednesday, 15 July, gets a bit of a pulse with a 4 ft swell and 269 combined energy (moderate) in the afternoon, but it’s cross-onshore and choppy, so it’s a marginal call. The 4 ft swell is still under 5 ft, so it’s not too big for beginners, but the messy wind kills it.

Bottom line: This is a quiet period. The forecast could change, but as it stands, you’re waiting for that glassy morning on 24 July. Everything else is a scratchy struggle.

Rusty.

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