Port Orford Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down the next couple of weeks for Port Orford. Gotta be honest, it’s a slow start, so don’t rush to the water.

The first few days are a total write-off. Wednesday the 2nd and Thursday the 3rd are a mess with heavy rain, strong southerly winds, and onshore slop. The swell gets up to 10ft on Thursday afternoon, but it’s blown-out junk with a combined energy of 2402 – that’s a lot of raw power, but it’s useless for surfing. That’s kite-surfing territory, not paddle surfing. Friday the 4th is still onshore, so no good there either.

Things finally turn on Saturday morning the 5th. The wind swings to the NNW at 6 mph, giving us a clean cross-off breeze. The swell is a modest 4ft from the NW with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is a weak 231. It’s surfable, but nothing special. That afternoon gets better with a clean 9 mph offshore wind, and the wave faces should be tidy. Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th keep this going – small NW swell, 3ft to 4ft, with clean offshore winds. It’s small, but it’s clean. The water is a chilly 54°, which is 4° colder than normal for this time of year – that’s “much colder than normal,” so you’ll need a thick wetsuit.

The best bet in the first week is Wednesday the 9th afternoon. The wind goes glassy, dead calm, with a light WNW breeze at 3 mph. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the NW with an 8-second period, and the combined energy is a moderate 432. That’s the kind of afternoon you want to be out there – clean, lined-up waves with no wind chop. It’s a standout.

There’s a bit of a lull after that until the following week. The second week brings a solid run of cleaner conditions, but the swell is all over the place. Monday the 14th looks promising with a 6ft NW swell (12-second period) and a strong offshore breeze from the north at 12–16 mph. The combined energy is a hefty 985. That’s proper groundswell, and with that strong offshore wind, Port Orford should be holding some nice, hollow peaks. Tuesday the 15th is also a gem – 6ft from the NW, 11-second period, and a light offshore or cross-off wind from the NW and NNW. The energy is still high at 908 and 753. These two days are the real standouts of the whole outlook. For the experienced crew, that’s where you want to be.

Later in the week, the swell drops off again. Thursday the 17th morning has a weird 1ft SW swell with a super-long 24-second period, but the combined energy is 498 – that’s a lot of energy for a tiny wave, so you’ll be waiting a long time between sets. The glassy conditions will make it look pretty, but it’s a gamble. The afternoon picks up to 5ft from the NNW, but with a short 6-second period, it’ll be a bit weak and crumbly.

Overall, don’t expect much until the 5th, and the real quality is on the 9th afternoon and then the 14th and 15th. Keep an eye on the wind, and if you see that north wind blowing, get out there.

Rusty.

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