Port Orford Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, stepping up to the mic for your local surf outlook.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you. This stretch is a tough one. Port Orford is our only option, and it’s a tricky, inconsistent spot that takes a lot to get going. The truth is, we’re staring down a pretty big gap with almost nothing good to recommend.

The week starts off, Thursday the 2nd, with some clean lines. We’ve got a moderate breeze blowing offshore, keeping things tidy. Morning brings a 5ft swell from the NNW with a short 8-second period. The water is much colder than normal for this time of year at 52°, a real shock to the system if you’re not expecting it. The combined energy is moderate (461), but the overall conditions just feel marginal with questionable tides.

That same day, Thursday afternoon, the swell drops right off to a weak 2ft from the SW, but it’s got a very long 16-second period. Sounds good, right? Well, the energy is still moderate (419), and the report still calls it marginal. It’s just not coming together.

From Friday the 3rd through Sunday the 5th, we see a fresh offshore breeze building to 18-22 mph. The swell bumps up from 4ft to 8ft, but it’s all short-period, wind-driven junk from the NNW with a period of just 7 or 8 seconds. The combined energy gets up there (621 to 734), but it’s messy, blown-out, and the reports are all “poor” or “marginal.” Not worth paddling for.

Monday the 6th to Tuesday the 7th offers some cleaner conditions with a moderate offshore, but the swell is all over the shop. Monday morning has a 6ft NW groundswell (12 sec) with moderate energy (760), but it’s still marked as marginal. It just feels like it’s not gonna have the shape or the push you want here at this spot.

Now, Wednesday the 8th is about as good as it gets in this first week. The morning shows a 4ft WNW swell (9 sec) with moderate energy (463), a moderate offshore breeze, and the report says “expect good surf conditions.” That’s the standout for the week. For Port Orford, that’s about as optimistic as you can be. Crowds are likely, but with how inconsistent this break is, you might get a few waves to yourself.

From Thursday the 9th of July all the way through to Sunday the 12th, it’s a tough watch. Fresh offshore winds keep blowing 18-22 mph, and the swell stays in the 6ft to 7ft range from the NNW or N, but the period drops to a horrible 6 or 7 seconds. All the reports are “poor surf conditions.” It’s just full-on, short-period windswell. With that combination of strong wind and poor quality at a sheltered spot, this looks like it might be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Now, we get to Monday the 13th of July. The morning starts a bit messy with a light cross-offshore breeze and a weak 6ft N swell (6 sec). But the afternoon shifts. The wind turns offshore with a moderate breeze, the swell bumps to 6ft from the NNW (6 sec), and the report finally says “expect good surf conditions” again. The combined energy is moderate (463). This is your second little window.

After that, from Tuesday the 14th through to the end of the forecast on Friday the 17th, we get some really interesting long-period groundswells. We’re talking 16 to 18-second periods from the WNW and W. The swell heights are small, from 2ft to 4ft, but the combined energy is strong to very strong (563 to 1334). The problem is, a long-period, small swell like that at a sheltered spot like Port Orford usually means it’s going to be incredibly inconsistent and might not have the power to wrap in properly. The reports all say “marginal” or “poor.” It’s a tease, really. Might be worth a look if you’ve got a longboard and a lot of patience, but don’t hold your breath. The Thursday afternoon the 16th shows the highest energy (1334), but with a 4ft swell and fresh offshore winds, it’s still a long shot.

So, to sum it up: the true standouts are the morning of Wednesday the 8th and the afternoon of Monday the 13th. That’s your best chance for a few clean, surfable waves. Otherwise, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

Read more