Port Orford Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for the next 16 days at Port Orford.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – the first few days are a write-off. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning are all blown out with onshore wind and rain, and the swell is junk. We’re looking at a stretch of poor surf conditions until things start to turn around on Friday afternoon. That’s the first real glimmer of hope.

Friday afternoon, the wind swings to a light cross-offshore from the NW, and we get a clean 6 ft swell from the WNW with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy is moderate at 475. It’s not huge, but it’s clean, and after a few days of nothing, that’s a welcome sight. The crowd situation here is a bit of a bummer though – it’s often packed, so don’t expect to have it to yourself.

The weekend looks a bit mixed. Saturday morning has a clean 4 ft NW swell, but the wind is a cross-offshore from the NNW, and the energy is a bit weaker at 249. Saturday afternoon is similar, with a clean 4 ft NW swell. Not bad, but not a standout. Sunday morning drops off to 3 ft, and the wind is a cross-shore light breeze, so it’s a bit of a flat, ordinary day.

Now, Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th are a bit of a tease. Tuesday morning has a clean 4 ft from the NNW with a short period of 7 seconds and offshore wind from the N. The energy is weak at 158. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about. Tuesday afternoon gets a bit bigger at 5 ft, but the wind is a fresh offshore, which can make it a bit tricky.

The real gem in this forecast is a few days out. Look at Monday, September 14th. The afternoon session is looking glassy – literally glassy, with the wind from the W at only 3 mph. We’ve got a 5 ft swell from the NW with a period of 12 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, and at Port Orford, which is a point break setup, that’s absolutely perfect. The combined energy is a solid 782. This is the best on offer – clean, lined-up waves, and the wind is dead calm. Get on it.

The following day, Tuesday the 15th, is also solid. Morning and afternoon both have a clean 4 ft to 5 ft swell from the WNW with a 11-second period, and gentle to moderate offshore winds from the N and NNW. Energy is around 650. It’s a great follow-up to Monday.

The rest of the week into the 16th sees moderate offshore winds and clean 3 ft WNW swells. It’s consistent, but not as punchy as that Monday/Tuesday combo.

One thing to note: the water temperature sits at 55°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – about 3° below average. So bring a good thick wetsuit; it’s a bit nippy out there.

Overall, the first few days are a washout, but the second week – specifically Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th – are the standouts. Clean, long-period groundswell with glassy or light offshore winds. That’s what we live for.

Rusty.

Read more