Point Arena Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is a classic Northern California situation. Point Arena is a consistent reef set-up that can handle a lot of swell, but the timing has to be right. Looking at the next 16 days, we're staring down the barrel of a long, frustrating wait before things even start to look half decent. The first solid recommendation doesn't show up until Thursday the 16th, so that's a few days of nothing but rough, blown-out conditions to endure. The water right now is running at 52° and that's a whopping 4° colder than normal for July, so the wetsuit is going to be your best friend.

The swell kicks in proper around Thursday the 16th afternoon. We're looking at a solid 12 ft of NW swell, and even though the wind is a cross-offshore breeze, the wave energy is ramping up to a strong 1979. That's a lot of water moving. But here's the thing: at this size, 12 ft, Point Arena is only going to be for the experienced crew. This isn't the spot to be learning. The cross-off wind does help keep it cleaner, which is a bonus.

Then, we get a little reprieve on Friday the 17th. The swell drops back to 8 ft from the NW, but the period is a nice, long 9 seconds. That's proper groundswell energy, with a combined energy of 1481. The wind flips to a light WNW, so it's a bit cross-onshore, making for a slight chop, but nothing too messy. This is probably the most approachable day for the intermediate surfer who can handle a solid head-high+ wave at a reef.

After that, it's a real mixed bag. We bounce around with smaller swell and lumpy cross-shore winds for a few days, and nothing really locks in until the very end of the period. Now, look at the long range—Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th of July are on the radar. The swell is back up to 12 ft again from the NW with cross-off winds and energy readings over 1800. The model is giving those days a high score, but we're over a week out, so take that with a grain of salt. If it holds, that's a powerful, clean lineup for the experts.

For the standout in this outlook, I'd have to tip my hat to the Friday the 17th. The swell is a manageable 8 ft from the NW with a long 9-second period. Combined with only a light wind, that offers the best mix of size and quality for the widest range of capable surfers. Just be aware, this point can get crowded when it's on, and that's "often" the case here, so you'll have some company.

-Rusty

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