Port Orford Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s headed our way for Port Orford over the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but nothing to get too down about. The first decent window kicks off on Sunday the 26th. The swell is from the SW at 4ft, with a very long period of 19 seconds, and the combined wave energy is a solid 1263 (strong). Water temps are sitting around 51°, which is 6° colder than normal for this time of year—definitely bring a thicker suit. The wind is light and cross, so waves will be a little lumpy, but there’s real power in the water. A long-period groundswell like this will be better for the reefs and points than a beach break, where it might get a bit too straight.

Monday the 27th cleans up real nice. The wind goes light cross-offshore from the NW in the morning, and the swell holds at 4ft to 4ft, still SW and 18 seconds. Energy is at 965 (moderate-strong) in the morning, jumping to 1088 (strong) in the afternoon. This is the pick of the first few days. The conditions are clean, and the swell has plenty of push. Port Orford is rated as advanced and inconsistent, and it’s often crowded, so you might have to compete for a few waves, but it’ll be worth it.

From Tuesday the 28th through the end of the first week, the surf gets smaller and more ordinary. Swell drops to 3ft to 4ft, period drops to 8-9 seconds, and the energy drops to between 94 (weak) and 244 (moderate). The wind is offshore and clean, but the waves are just not that exciting. We’re looking at a gap of poor surf starting late Thursday the 30th, where the swell really dries up to 1ft, making it a total dud. The wind turns fresh offshore, which is clean but not enough to salvage the tiny waves. This flat spell stretches through Sunday the 2nd of August.

Then things get interesting again, but in a different way. Starting Sunday the 2nd, the swell jumps back up, but it's a short-period, wind-driven swell from the N at 7ft (period only 6 seconds). The wind is strong offshore at 25 mph. The energy is a solid 467 (moderate-strong), but the wave quality is poor—it’s just too blown out and messy. The report says “strong offshore and clean but hard to paddle into,” and that’s the truth. This continues through the first week of August, with swell heights climbing to 8ft and periods staying short at 7-8 seconds. The energy gets up to 897 (strong) by the 8th. For a beach setup, this is going to be a windy, choppy mess. Honestly, this looks more like a kite surfer’s playground than a paddle surfer’s paradise.

The real standout, though, is the very end of the forecast. On Monday the 10th of August, we finally get a proper swell window. The swell is 10ft from the NNW with an 8-second period, and the energy is 1286–1313 (strong). The wind is offshore and gentle to moderate, meaning the waves will be clean and well-shaped. This is a big swell—over 8ft—so it’s for experts only. The long period is gone, but the combination of size and clean offshore wind makes this one to mark on the calendar. It’s a long way out, so treat it as promising but not locked in.

So, the best on offer: Monday the 27th for clean, long-period groundswell with a bit of size, and Monday the 10th of August for the big, clean, powerful swell. Everything else is either tiny, windy, or messy.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

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