Port Orford Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's coming down the pipe. We're gonna be talking about Port Orford for the foreseeable future, and it's a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. The first week and a half is pretty much a write-off, but there's some serious potential brewing for the second week if you're willing to wait.

Right off the bat, we've got nothing. The first week, starting Tuesday the 7th of July, is a total bust. We're seeing small, weak WNW swells, mostly around 2.6 ft to 3.9 ft, with periods between 8 and 10 seconds. The wave energy is all over the place, but mostly low, with readings like 291 (moderate) and 125 (weak). The wind is offshore, which is great for the surface, but the swells just don't have any push. The water is a balmy 52.0°F, which is a whopping 4.7°F colder than normal – that's very unusual for this time of year, so pack the thickest rubber you've got. The wave comment keeps calling it "poor surf conditions" or "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions."

This continues right through till about Monday the 14th. On the 14th, we get a weird little spike in period – 14 seconds – but it's coming from the west with only 1.6 ft of height. That's a long-period groundswell, but it's just not big enough to do anything. Even though the wind is offshore and clean, the energy readings (167 and 173) are still weak.

Wednesday, 15th of July is where things start to get interesting. The swell stays small, around 1.6 ft to 2.0 ft, but the period jumps. On Wednesday morning we're looking at an 18-second SW groundswell, and by the afternoon it's a 21-second WNW groundswell. The energy readings jump to 407 and 549 (moderate energy). This is the kind of long-period stuff that loves reefs and points. The wind is a solid 15.5 mph offshore. It'll be clean, but it's going to be small and very, very straight because of that long period. For a sheltered spot like Port Orford, the NW direction isn't ideal either. The wave comment says "expect good surf conditions," which is the best we'll see for a while, but we're talking about a very particular kind of surf here. It's the standout of the early part, but you have to be realistic about the size. The Thursday 16th morning is similar – 2.0 ft, 19-second WNW period, 584 energy – before the wind picks up.

Then, things blow up. From Friday the 17th of July all the way through to Wednesday the 22nd, we get a massive pulse of NNW windswell. The swell heights go from 3.0 ft on Friday to a solid 9.8 ft by Saturday afternoon. The wave energy goes through the roof: 803, 1128, 1398, all the way up to 1637 for Saturday afternoon. This is serious, strong energy (four-digit values). But, and this is a big but, the period is short, between 7 and 9 seconds. And the wind is howling offshore at 21.7 to 24.9 mph.

This is the dilemma. The wind is offshore, so the waves will be clean and lined up. But 9.8 ft at 8 seconds is a beast. It's going to be a full-on, heavy, churning ocean. The wave comments call it "marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions." For a spot that's already "inconsistent" and "sheltered" from the NW, this much short-period, north-west windswell is going to wall up and close out. This is proper, heavy, expert-only stuff. The 8.2 ft to 9.8 ft range is for experts. If you're not one, stay on the beach. The long-range standout here is the sheer size and power. If you're a charger, Wednesday the 22nd morning has 7.9 ft and 864 energy, which is still a handful but maybe a little more manageable than the peak.

So, overall: the first week is a total washout for surf. Then we have a tiny taste of perfect, small, long-period groundswell. The real story is the second week, from the 17th onwards, which is going to be a windblown, heavy, expert-only windswell session at Port Orford. It won't be pretty, but it'll be powerful.

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