Port Orford Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let's talk about what's on the menu for Port Orford.

First up, the water here is running *much colder than normal* for this time of year, sitting at 52°F and a solid 5°F below the average. That’s a shock to the system, so if you're paddling out, you're gonna want that thick wetsuit.

The surf forecast gets off to a slow start, with a bit of a wave on Monday afternoon, 20 July. We’re looking at a 5ft northwesterly swell with a short 8-second period – not a lot of push behind it, but the combined energy is a moderate 436. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the NW, so it’ll be clean. It’s a tiny window of decency, but overall, it’s just a taste.

From Tuesday through Thursday, things go flat and messy. The winds turn onshore, the swell drops, and it’s really not worth paddling for. The water gets choppy, and the wave quality is poor. We’re looking at a few days of nothing.

Then, on Friday, 24 July, the afternoon throws a weird one at us. A tiny 3ft southwesterly swell rolls in, but it’s coming with a 24-second period – that’s a very long period groundswell. The combined energy jumps to 961, which is moderate-to-strong, but the wind is a gentle cross-onshore. It’s a tricky one; that long period will make it hard to find a good peak at the beach, but it could be interesting. The following morning, Saturday 25 July, is a real standout. The swell is still from the SW, 3ft, with a 21-second period, and the combined energy is a strong 1104. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the WNW, keeping it clean. This is the best on offer – a long-period groundswell with clean conditions. It’s an expert’s wave, though; that long period will want to barrel and race, so it’s not for novices, but for those who know how to read it, it’ll be fantastic.

Sunday 26 July morning is also a looker. A 4ft SW swell, 19-second period, combined energy of 1206 – strong. The wind is a moderate offshore from the NNW, so it’ll be clean. Again, that long period means it’s for the confident crew.

After that, the forecast gets ugly again. From Sunday afternoon all the way through to the end of the month, it’s a run of poor surf. The wind goes howling offshore from the North at 18-22 mph, which is way too strong. The swell is small and short-period, or just messy. The waves are blown out, and it’s a kite surfer’s paradise, not a paddle surfer’s. The water will be choppy and unrideable.

We get a bit of a pulse right at the start of August. On Monday 3 August, the swell picks up to 7ft from the NNW, but it’s a short 7-second period, and the wind is a strong offshore at 15 mph. That’s a lot of wind for such a short-period wave. It’s marginal, and with the wind, it’s going to be a struggle. By Tuesday 4 August, the swell hits 10ft from the NNW, with a combined energy of 1028. That’s strong, but it’s big, short-period, and the wind is still cranking at 18 mph. This is strictly for experts only. The wind and the short period will make it a washing machine, and it’s a dangerous day for anyone not fully dialed in.

So, the real standout here is the Saturday 25 July and Sunday 26 July mornings. That’s the window for clean, long-period groundswell. The rest is a lot of waiting.

Rusty.

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