Redwood Creek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the stretch ahead at Redwood Creek. We’ve got a long 16-day window, but honestly, it’s a slow burner. The first real surf doesn’t show up until Wednesday afternoon, August 5th, and even then it’s a tease.

Wednesday, August 5th is the standout of the whole run. Don’t blink. Redwood Creek is a river break that rarely breaks, so when it turns on, it’s special. We’re looking at a clean 4ft wave from the northwest, with a 8-second period. The wind is glassy at 3 mph from the west – that’s about as clean as it gets. The water is 55°, which is about average for this time of year. The combined swell energy is a solid 296 (moderate). For a spot that’s inconsistent, this is a rare little gem. Crowds? They’re possible here a lot of the time, but on a Wednesday afternoon, you might have a shot at some peace.

Then it gets ugly. Thursday, August 6th through Sunday, August 16th is a long stretch of poor to marginal conditions. The swell hangs around, even getting big – up to 10ft on Monday, August 10th and Tuesday, August 11th – but the wind is mostly cross-onshore from the northwest, 6-12 mph, and it ruins it. The wave quality is junk. That 10ft stuff on the 10th and 11th is only for experts, and with the wind chop, it’s more of a kite-surfing show than a paddle session. The energy gets strong (over 1,000 towards the end of the first week), but the wind kills it. Poor conditions, paddling into a blender.

Friday, August 14th morning offers a tiny glimmer: 6ft from the northwest, with a light 3 mph wind from the west-northwest (onshore), but it’s still marginal. Not worth getting excited about.

Saturday, August 15th is similar – 5ft, onshore wind, marginal.

Then on Sunday, August 16th, the swell shifts to a very long-period 16-second groundswell from the southwest. But at 3ft, it’s tiny. That long period is beautiful for a point or reef, but at a river break, it might just slide past without a proper wall. The energy is moderate (493). Monday and Tuesday are even smaller, dropping to 2ft.

The final spark comes on Thursday, August 20th afternoon. The forecast shows a 6ft wave from the northwest, period 8 seconds, with a clean cross-offshore wind from the south at 6 mph. The combined energy is 937 (strong). The forecast says "very good surf conditions." This is a promising second-week option, but it’s far out, so keep your fingers crossed.

So, the hard truth: only Wednesday, August 5th, and maybe Thursday, August 20th, are worth a look. The 12 days in between are a tough slog. For a spot that’s already inconsistent, this blank run is a bit more normal than you’d hope. But it won’t stay poor forever – forecasts change.

Rusty.

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