Port Orford Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Right off the bat, we’ve got some decent action lined up. The first few days offer clean, offshore fun but don't get too excited just yet – the real standout is lurking further out.

For Thursday the 16th, we’re into it straight away. The water is a chilly 51°F, which is a whopping 6°F colder than normal – that’s some serious cold water for this time of year, so bring the thickest rubber you’ve got. The swell is a modest 2ft from the WNW with a very long period of 18 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is a solid moderate at 638. It's clean with a moderate offshore wind, making it a good opener.

Friday the 17th through to Sunday the 19th stays clean and offshore, but it’s a mixed bag. Friday and Saturday see waves hovering around 3ft to 3ft, still with that long period. But things get a bit sketchy. The swell jumps to 8ft on Sunday morning from the NNW, but the period drops to just 7 seconds – that’s short period, crumbly, weak stuff. The energy is high at 1050, but it’s going to be a messy, lumpy beast. That size (over 8ft) is really only for the experts, and with that short period, it won't be any fun for anyone else.

Now, here’s the first real winner. Monday the 20th. We’ve got some clouds, but the wind is offshore at 16 mph and the swell is a much cleaner 7ft from the NNW with an 8-second period. That combined energy is moderate at 591. It's still a solid size, but the quality is there. This is the pick of the first week for the more experienced crew.

Tuesday the 21st is a glassy, sleepy day. The swell drops to 5ft from the NW with an 8-second period. The combined energy is low at 232. The wind is almost nothing at 3 mph – glassy as can be. It'll be pretty ordinary but clean, maybe something for a longboard if you're desperate.

Then we hit a rough patch. From Wednesday the 22nd all the way through to Saturday the 25th morning, it’s a write-off. Onshore, cross-onshore winds and poor conditions dominate. The swell is small and weak. There’s almost nothing to paddle for.

But hold on. The drought breaks on Saturday afternoon the 25th, and things start to build towards the real highlight of the whole forecast period. Sunday the 26th morning is the one to circle. The wind is offshore from the NNW at 16 mph, the swell is a punchy 4ft from the SW with a very long 20-second period. The combined energy is strong at 1193. That’s proper, long-period groundswell energy hitting the coast with clean winds. For a sheltered spot like Port Orford, that’s about as good as it gets in this window. The long period will make it a bit tricky at the beach breaks, but at the right points and reefs, it’ll be lined up beautifully. Keep in mind that this is over a week away, so the certainty isn't as solid as the near-term calls, but it looks damn promising.

After that, the energy fades again through the end of the month. Monday the 27th and beyond sees clean offshore wind, but the swell drops off and the period shortens. The 30th and 31st of July have some size again (6ft up to 8ft), but the period is short (7-9 seconds) and the wind is howling at 25 mph, making it a tough paddle and messy ride. That setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than a proper paddle session.

So, the standouts? Monday July 20th for the first week’s best, and Sunday morning July 26th is the real target for the long-range crew. Get on it.

Rusty.

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