Refugio State Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Refugio State Beach.

Alright, the outlook is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a long stretch ahead, but there’s some real promise in the distant future. The water temp is 68°, which is a solid 6° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s a real treat, feels like a warm bath compared to normal.

The first good honest look at the surf comes on Wednesday, July 23rd. The morning is pretty marginal, but the afternoon shows some improvement. We’ve got a 6ft swell from the WNW, but it’s packing a short 6-second period, so it’s gonna be a bit jumbled. The wind goes clean and cross-off from the NW at 12 mph, which is a big plus. The combined wave energy is moderate at 744. It’s not a standout, but it’s a start.

Friday, July 24th, is a bit of a tease. We’ve got a long-period swell coming in from the SW with a 24-second period, which is a proper groundswell, but it’s tiny, only 2ft. The combined energy is moderate at 1117, but with those long periods, it’s mostly just a deep water pulse. It’s light cross-on wind, so the surface is a bit rippled. Not really worth paddling out for.

The whole week from July 24th through to the end of the month is pretty mediocre. The swell wobbles around from the SW and SSW, with heights between 2ft and 4ft, and periods dropping from the very long down to around 14 seconds. The winds are mostly light, often cross-on or onshore. It’s a long stretch of marginal surf. The local rule of thumb is that the beach and point break here doesn’t love these southerly swells unless they’re a lot bigger, so it’s a lean patch.

Now, let’s talk about the true standout. Look towards Saturday, August 3rd. The afternoon session is the best we’ll see. The swell is 7ft from the WNW, with a short 6-second period. The wind is clean and cross-off from the NW at 12 mph. The combined energy is moderate at 520. This is a powerful, albeit short-period, pulse. For a more experienced surfer, this is the one to wait for. It’s a solid wave, but over 8ft, it’s really only for the experts. The following Tuesday, August 5th, also has a clean afternoon, with a 6ft WNW swell, a 8-second period, and a gentle cross-off breeze. That’s a decent second option, but the Saturday before has more size.

After that, the swell fades away into the second week, with heights dropping back under 5ft and the wind getting messy again. It’s a classic case of a few good days sandwiched between a lot of quiet ones.

Rusty, signing off.

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