Port Orford Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Port Orford has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with you – there’s a lot of waiting involved this time.

Right now and for the next several days, it’s pretty quiet out there. The swell energy is weak, mostly sitting under 300 (combined energy of all swells directed here), with a few days around the 350 mark. The waves are tiny through the 25th, 26th, and into the 27th of August, with nothing over 3 ft and mostly coming from the southwest. The wind is either cross-on or just light, so it’s not doing us any favours for quality. Thursday afternoon the 27th is the first time we see a glimmer, with a clean little 2 ft southwest swell (15-second period) and a light offshore breeze from the NNW. It’s surfable, but you’ll be hunting for something to ride.

We get a little more shape on Friday the 28th – still small at 3 ft on the Friday morning, but the wind is offshore from the north at 12 mph, so the surface is clean. That afternoon the swell shifts around to the WNW, only 3 ft but with a short 8-second period, so it’s a bit weak and disorganised. Through Saturday and Sunday (29th and 30th), we’ve got offshore winds but the swell doesn’t have much punch – period drops right down to 6 seconds, with heights around 4 ft to 5 ft, but the energy is up to 360 on Saturday. It’s clean but pretty ordinary. Not worth getting too excited about.

Then there’s a bit of a dead patch. The 31st and September 1st are mostly poor with onshore wind and weak little waves. But hang in there.

Wednesday the 2nd of September sees a return of offshore wind, with a 3 ft WNW swell (9 seconds) in the morning – clean but not big. Thursday the 3rd is a similar story, but that afternoon we get a jump in swell energy to 808 with a 3 ft southwest groundswell rolling in on a 19-second period. That’s proper long-period energy, but it’s small in height. The wind is fresh offshore at 22 mph, so it’ll be clean but blown out a bit. It’s better than most of this window.

Now, the real standout in this whole outlook is Friday the 4th of September. That morning we’ve got moderate offshore wind from the north at 12 mph, a 3 ft southwest swell with an 18-second period, and the swell energy is pumping at 801. The surf report itself says “expect good surf conditions,” and I’d agree. For a break like Port Orford that’s inconsistent and needs a good direction, this is a solid window. The water temp is about average for this time of year – nothing unusual to report there. On the downside, it’s often crowded here, and for experienced surfers only, so you might have to share the peak. That southwest long-period groundswell will wrap in nicely with those offshore conditions. The 5 ft that afternoon from the NW is not as good.

Sunday the 6th of September is another one to mark. Morning looks clear, light WNW wind at 3 mph – we’re talking near glassy conditions – with a 5 ft NW swell (10 seconds) and energy at 407. The report says “expect good surf conditions” again. This is the pick of the second week. It’s smaller than the 8th, but the wind, the period, and the swell height line up for a really clean session.

Tuesday the 8th of September afternoon sees the biggest swell of the forecast: 5 ft from the NW with an 8-second period, but the energy jumps big to 603, and the wind is gentle offshore from the NNW. That’s clean, punchy, a little short period, but it’ll be fun for a wave that’s chest to head high. Then Wednesday the 9th morning holds similar at 5 ft from the NW with a 9-second period and clean cross-offshore wind. The energy is solid at 408.

Overall, the first five days are pretty flat or ordinary. The real action comes around the 4th of September and then again on the 6th and the 8th. If I were you, I’d aim for Friday the 4th morning or Sunday the 6th morning – those are your best bets for clean, consistent lines at Port Orford right now. Late on the 8th is also worth a look if you’re okay with a bit more power and a shorter period.

Rusty.

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