Refugio State Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next stretch.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the surf over the next 16 days is pretty slim pickings. We’ve got a long, quiet spell ahead. The first notable wave energy doesn’t show up until Tuesday the 28th of July, and even then, it’s not exactly firing.

Refugio State Beach is the only break in the game here. It’s a beach and point setup, fairly consistent, but the swell is tiny and the direction’s a bit off. The water is way warmer than usual for this time of year, sitting at 69°F with a big anomaly of 7°F – that’s very unusual.

Let’s walk through it. On Tuesday morning the 28th, we’ve got a 4ft SSW swell, but it’s a long period groundswell at 17 seconds. That kind of period can make a beach break a bit tricky, but the energy is moderate (1238). The wind is light and offshore from the SSW, which is a major plus – it’ll be glassy clean. But the overall quality is marginal, and the score reflects that. Tuesday afternoon turns cross-shore, still small.

Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th are more of the same – tiny 3ft to 4ft SSW swells, light winds, but the energy drops off (701-700). The period drops from 16 to 15 seconds, still a long period, but the waves are just too small to get excited about.

Friday the 31st through the 1st of August sees the swell drop to 3ft to 4ft from the S, period dropping to 12-13 seconds, and cross-onshore winds creep in. The energy is weak to moderate (664-477). Saturday the 1st of August afternoon shows a short period 4ft WNW swell at 8 seconds – that’s a weak, choppy windswell, not worth your time.

Now, Sunday the 2nd of August morning is the closest thing to a standout in this whole run. The swell jumps to 6ft from the WNW – that’s getting into the zone where it might be a bit much for beginners, but it’s still not huge. The period is short at 9 seconds, so it’s a windswell. The energy is moderate (1034). The wind is a light cross-onshore, so it won’t be perfect, but it’s the biggest push we see. For a bigger wave, this is the best bet. The afternoon drops off to 6ft and the energy halves.

After that, it’s a slow fade. Monday the 3rd of August to Tuesday the 4th of August has 4ft WNW swell, period stuck at 9 seconds, and light onshore winds. The energy is weak (392-510). By Wednesday the 5th of August, the swell crumbles to 1ft to 3ft, and the wind picks up to a gentle breeze on the 5th afternoon, making it choppy.

From Thursday the 6th of August onward, it’s all tiny. We’re looking at 1ft to 2ft swells from the SSW or SW, with periods that bounce from 13 to 19 seconds. The energy is weak (88-361). The 19-second period on Friday the 7th of August morning and Tuesday the 11th of August morning is very long period groundswell, but with only 1ft to 2ft of height, it’s just a bump in the water. The wind is light, but the waves are too small to surf.

So, if you’re desperate, the morning of Sunday the 2nd of August is your best shot at Refugio for a bigger, messy wave. For the rest of the run, it’s a long stretch of quiet conditions. Keep an eye on the forecasts, though – it’s a pretty consistent break, so this dead spell won’t last forever.

Rusty.

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