Point Arena Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for Point Arena.

We’ve got a solid run of swell on the way, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag for the next couple of weeks. The water is sitting at 53°, which is a solid 4° colder than usual for this time of year – that’s a pretty noticeable chill, so don’t forget the thick rubber.

The first few days are a write-off, honestly. Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st of July are looking pretty average with short-period, 8ft to 6ft NW swell and a stiff cross-off wind. The combined energy on the 30th is only 585 (weak), and it’s just not happening. That pattern of chunky, short-period, wind-affected swell carries through the first weekend of August. The swell is there, but the quality is just not there.

But hold onto your board, because Sunday the 2nd of August is where it gets wild. The swell jumps up to 12ft from the NW in the morning, hitting 13ft by the afternoon. The combined energy is monstrous – 2786 (very strong) by the afternoon. This is a big, powerful, 9-second groundswell. The problem is, it’s simply too big for this break. The forecast even says so. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it’s going to be a washing machine. The wind is a fresh cross-off, so it’ll be clean, but the size will be the main event.

Monday the 3rd of August is much the same story – still 12ft of NW swell with a 10-second period (very strong energy at 2621) and moderate cross-shore wind. Still too big for most.

The real standout, the one you want to circle on your calendar, is Tuesday the 4th of August. The swell drops back to a much more manageable 8ft from the NW, still with a decent 9-second period. The combined energy is still a solid 932 (moderate). But the magic is in the wind. For the afternoon, we’re looking at glassy conditions. 3 mph of westerly wind, glassy as a mirror. This is going to be the cleanest, most user-friendly window of the whole forecast. The swell is solid, but not scary, and the conditions will be perfect. This is the one to aim for.

After that, the outlook fades a bit. From Wednesday the 5th of August through to the 14th, we’re looking at a long stretch of marginal surf. The swell hangs around the 6ft to 8ft range, but the wind is mostly cross or cross-on, and the energy drops. There are a few afternoons with clean cross-off winds, but the overall quality is just not there compared to that Tuesday glass-off. The last real highlight is a bit of a gamble on Thursday the 13th of August, with a gentle cross-shore and 8ft swell, but it’s a ways out, so keep an eye on it.

So, bottom line: the start of the run is a dud, the middle of next week is a monster that’s only for the brave, and the real gem is Tuesday the 4th of August. Don’t miss that glassy afternoon session.

Rusty.

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