Point Arena Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, looking at the whole 16-day run, the surf is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got some decent sized swell pushing in, but the wind is a constant battle. It’s not going to be a total write-off, but you’ll have to be patient and pick your moments. The best windows are tight, and there are long stretches where it’s just not worth paddling out.

Right now, our main focus is Point Arena. This reef setup is exposed to the NW, which is where the bulk of the energy is coming from. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing crazy there.

The early part of the week, starting Wednesday the 15th, is a tough one. The swell is solid, around 7 ft to 8 ft from the NW, with moderate wave energy (618 to 863), but a stiff 19 mph NNW wind is blowing cross-off. It’s clean, but that wind is going to make it a grumpy, blown-out kind of clean. The period is short, only 7 seconds, so it’s a messy, windswell wave. Not great for good surfing, really just a battle.

Thursday the 16th is more of the same. The swell builds a touch in the afternoon, hitting 8 ft from the NW, and the combined energy gets up to a strong 1114. But that 19 mph NNW wind is still howling, making it feel more like a slog than a session. The wave state is still clean, but it’s that punchy, unappealing cross-off wind. It’s still a 7-second period, so the shape will be poor.

Friday the 17th brings a shift. The swell drops to 3 ft, but the period jumps to a very long 17 seconds from the WNW. This is a proper groundswell. The combined energy is still a strong 1119, but that long period can make it break a bit too straight at a reef. The wind is 16-19 mph from the NW, swinging to cross-shore. It’s not ideal, with a moderate cross-chop in the afternoon. Saturday the 18th is similar, with 3 ft waves at 16 seconds, but again, the wind is from the NW, creating a cross-shore chop. The energy is strong (1093-1097), but the wind is robbing it of quality.

Sunday the 19th is the best of a bad bunch early on. The swell holds at 3 ft, with a very long 15-17 second period. The energy is still strong (914-925). The morning has a light 6 mph cross-onshore wind, which is a big improvement. This is a glimmer of hope. The waves will have some real push from the long period, and the light wind could mean some clean, lined-up sets. It’s not a standout, but it’s the most surfable of the first week.

Then, from Monday the 20th right through to the end of the month, it’s a real struggle. We get a few days of poor surf conditions with low energy – the combined energy drops to between 56 and 686. The swell is small, between 1.0 ft and 5 ft for most of it, and the wind is either onshore or cross-shore and strong. There are a few days with 6 ft to 8 ft swell, but the wind is still a problem or the period is short, making it messy. The wave states are consistently described as "poor surf conditions" or "marginal."

The standout, if you can call it that, is Sunday the 19th. The swell is small, but that long period and light wind mean it’s the only time the wave quality looks like it might be worth the effort. The sets will be longer and more powerful for the size, but it’s not a day for a big wave board. The wind is light, so it could be glassy in the morning. It’s the only real window of opportunity in the near term.

For the second week, from the 27th onward, the swell is small and the wind is up. There’s a brief pulse of 8 ft swell on the 29th, but with a 19 mph NW wind, it’s going to be a mess. Don’t bother.

Overall, it’s a lean patch. The wind is the enemy here. Focus on that Sunday the 19th window for the best chance of a clean wave. The rest of the time, you’re fighting the elements. Keep your expectations low.

Rusty.

Read more