Port Orford Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Look, I won't sugarcoat it—this stretch for Port Orford is a real battle. The water is a chilly 51°, a massive 7° colder than normal for this time of year, so you'll be needing a thick wetsuit and booties. The guiding principle for the next 16 days is that while there are a few windows of clean, offshore wind, the swell is mostly small, weak, and often from poor directions, so it's a tough slog for any decent ride.

Let's start with the immediate future. Thursday the 20th is the only real option in the first week, and even then it's ordinary. The morning has a clean 3 ft swell from the WNW with a period of 11 seconds, and the wind is a cross-offshore breeze from the NNW at 9 mph. The wave energy is moderate (368). The afternoon cleans up with a lighter offshore wind at 6 mph, but the swell drops to 3 ft. It's surfable, but just barely.

Then we hit a massive gap. From Friday the 21st right through to Monday the 31st of August, the conditions are poor. The wind is mostly offshore, which is rare, but the swell is tiny, often under 3 ft, with weak energy readings (as low as 39) and periods that are either short or way too long and from the wrong direction. There's a bump on Sunday the 23rd with a 5 ft swell in the morning and a 7 ft offshore swell in the afternoon, but the period is a pathetic 6-7 seconds, so it's just wind-chop. It's not worth paddling out for.

The one bright spot that's worth circling on your calendar comes well into the forecast. Tuesday the 1st of September morning looks promising. We've got a 6 ft swell from the WNW, with a period of 10 seconds, and clean offshore wind from the north at 12 mph. The wave energy is strong (653). This is the standout of the whole outlook. The afternoon holds a similar 5 ft swell, but the wind picks up to 19 mph, making it a bit messier. It's a long way out, so keep an eye on the charts, but this is the session to aim for if you're after something with a bit of push.

Wednesday the 2nd of September morning still has a decent 4 ft southerly swell, but the wind is stronger at 19 mph, and the quality drops. After that, it's back to small, weak, and poor conditions right through to the end of the forecast. Honestly, for a location that's usually sheltered, this is a lean run. If you're desperate, the Thursday the 20th morning window is your best bet for a clean, small wave. Otherwise, keep your powder dry for the 1st of September.

Rusty.

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