Port Orford Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a slow start. The first few days are pretty flat and messy, but don’t let that get you down because the back half of this outlook has some real potential. The water is sitting at 55°F which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be wanting that extra rubber.

Wednesday morning and afternoon the 26th is a write-off – tiny 2 ft swell from the SW with a very long period of 16 seconds, but the combined wave energy is weak (292) and the conditions are just poor. The wind is light and onshore, so it’s a no-go.

Thursday the 27th is only slightly better. Morning sees a light cross-offshore breeze from the WNW, but the swell is still that same 2 ft SW groundswell (period 15 seconds, energy 350). It’s surfable, but honestly, it’s ordinary. The afternoon improves a touch with a gentle offshore from the NNW at 9 mph, cleaning it up, but it’s still only 2 ft.

Friday the 28th is where we start to see a little life. The morning is clear with a moderate offshore from the N at 12 mph. Swell bumps up to 3 ft from the SW, period 14 seconds, and combined energy hits a moderate 430. This is the best of the early run – clean, offshore, and you’ll get a few fun ones. The afternoon drops off as the wind swings to the NW and the period craters to 7 seconds, making it a poor, choppy mess.

Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th are a mixed bag of small, weak swells and strong offshore winds. The mornings offer a little something – Saturday morning has 2 ft SW swell with a good 14-second period, but the energy is only 197. Sunday morning actually shows 5 ft NNW swell, but the period is a short 6 seconds, so it’s bumpy and weak. The offshore winds are strong (15-19 mph), keeping the surface clean, but the waves are just not holding together.

Monday the 31st and Tuesday the 1st of September are pretty grim. Monday has a weak 3 ft NW swell and light offshore winds, but the energy is dropping (99). Tuesday is a complete washout with onshore winds and poor conditions.

Now, hold on to your board, because things start to get interesting around Thursday the 3rd of September. The morning brings in 5 ft NW swell (period 8 seconds) with a light offshore from the NNW, and the combined energy is a healthy 528. It’s clean, it’s got some push, and the rating says it’s good surf. This is a standout. The afternoon gets even better with 6 ft NW swell, but the wind picks up to 12 mph. Still, it’s a solid session for the more experienced crew.

Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th settle back a bit with 4 ft to 4 ft NW swells and moderate offshore winds. It’s surfable, but nothing special.

The real heavy stuff starts rolling in from Monday the 7th of September. We’re looking at 7 ft to 7 ft NNW swell with a period of 9-10 seconds and combined energy blasting past 800 and even over 1000 (1021). That’s strong wave energy. The wind is a fresh offshore from the N at 19 mph. This is for experts only – the swell is over 8 ft at times, and that’s a lot of power. The conditions are marginal, but for the big wave chargers, this is the main event.

Tuesday the 8th and Wednesday the 9th keep the size up with 7 ft to 7 ft swells, but the wind stays strong. The surf is there, but it’s a battle.

By Thursday the 10th of September, we’re still looking at 7 ft to 8 ft NNW swell, though the period drops to 8 seconds. The energy is still high (730), but the wind is howling at 22 mph. The setup is looking more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing at this point.

Signing off, Rusty.

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