Refugio State Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, looking at the stretch ahead for Refugio State Beach.

Honestly, the next couple of weeks look like a bit of a patience game. We've got a run of small, marginal surf, and it’s gonna take a while before anything really gets going. The water is running much warmer than usual for this time of year, which is a nice little bonus when you’re just sitting out there waiting for a set. The energy in the water stays pretty weak for most of the period, with combined energy values mostly in the 100s and 200s (like 199 to 278), which isn't going to get the heart rate up.

We start off Monday, August 17th, with some really small, weak surf. We're looking at a summary swell height of only 2.6ft from the SSW with a 14-second period. The energy is weak, sitting at 294. The wind is light and cross-onshore in the morning, so it’s not going to be totally clean, but it’s rideable for a beginner on a longboard. The water temp anomaly is +3.4°, which is very unusual, so it’ll feel warm. After that, Tuesday through to the weekend just goes flat and weak. We're talking 1.3ft to 2.3ft waves and the scores are poor. There's a bit more energy on Tuesday with 403 and 428, but the swell height drops. It’s the kind of stretch where you’d be better off finding something else to do. This runs through about Sunday, August 23rd.

There's a slight pulse of energy around Monday, August 24th, but it's still small. We're looking at 2ft surf and the energy jumps a little to 354, but Tuesday the 25th brings in a cross-offshore breeze in the afternoon which cleans things up, even if the waves are still only 1.6ft. The wind stays clean on and off through Thursday the 27th, but the swell just doesn’t have any size.

Now, the second week is where things might get a little more interesting. Towards the end of the month, around Saturday, August 29th, the energy starts to build in a serious way. Saturday morning shows a combined energy of 663, and Sunday the 30th is even better with 576 in the morning. The swell is still only 2.6ft to 3ft from the SSW, but that energy suggests something is pushing in from deeper water. It's promising, but more than a week out, it’s one to keep an eye on rather than get too excited about.

The real standout, if it happens, is Tuesday, September 1st. The morning forecast shows a jump to a 4.9ft swell. It’s coming from the WNW, but with a short period of only 8 seconds, so it’s going to be a bit of a junky, wind-swell type wave. The energy is the highest we see all forecast, at a strong 806, but that short period is a real caveat. This size, over 4.9ft, can be a bit much for beginners, and with that short period, it’s not going to be the cleanest. The wind is light and cross-onshore, but the afternoon deteriorates with a moderate cross-shore breeze and the swell drops back down. This is the only time we see meaningful size, so if you're an experienced surfer, it could be the most fun you'll have, but it won't be a classic.

In the end, for the next 16 days, there is no true standout. The most promising window is around August 29th-30th, and then that bump on September 1st. Everything else is just small, weak, and marginal. For the seasoned crew, there might be a few rides to be had, but it’s not going to be epic.

Stay patient, stay weird.

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