Refugio State Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s in the water for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s not a classic run. We’ve got a lot of marginal days, but there are a few specific windows where it could be worth the paddle. The water is sitting at a warm 66°F, which is a solid 4°F warmer than usual for this time of year, so you’ll be comfortable in a shorty or even just boardies.

The first real chance to get wet is Tuesday morning. Refugio State Beach has a small 3ft swell rolling in from the SSW with a 14-second period, carrying moderate energy (614). The wind is light and blowing straight onshore, which isn’t ideal, but it’s small and clean enough for a beginner to get a few fun rides. The crowds here can be an issue, but on a Tuesday morning, you might beat the rush.

Wednesday morning is a write-off with a moderate cross-shore breeze making things choppy. Wednesday afternoon, however, we see a clean cross-offshore wind from the NW, but the swell is still only 3ft. It’s clean, but small.

Now, Thursday afternoon is where it gets a bit more interesting. The swell picks up to 6ft, but it’s a short-period windswell from the WNW at only 7 seconds. The energy is moderate (761), and the wind is cross-offshore, making it clean. That 6ft is a bit much for a total beginner, but for anyone with a bit of experience, it’s a solid afternoon session. The short period means it’ll be a bit crumbly and less powerful, but it’s the best size on offer so far.

Friday morning, July 24th, brings a very long-period groundswell. The swell is small at 2ft from the SW, but with a whopping 24-second period. The energy is moderate (940). This is a classic groundswell with a lot of push for its size, but at a beach-and-point setup like Refugio, it might break a little too straight. Still, it’s a standout for the sheer quality of the wave energy. The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’ll be a little bumpy, but not horrible.

The weekend of July 26th and 27th sees the energy building. Sunday morning, July 26th, has a 3ft SW swell with a 19-second period and strong energy (1152). The wind is light cross-onshore, so it’s rideable. Monday morning, July 27th, is the real standout. A 4ft swell from the SW with an 18-second period and very strong energy (1639). The wind is light and straight onshore, which is a shame, but the raw power is there. This is the best mix of size, period, and energy in the entire run.

After that, it gets a bit inconsistent. The end of July and start of August sees a drop-off in swell quality. There’s a run of small, weak swells with poor or marginal conditions. The first week of August is pretty grim, with a few small, short-period swells and poor surf conditions. The pick of that poor run might be Saturday afternoon, August 1st, with a clean 3ft swell from the S, but it’s got weak energy (282) and a short 11-second period. Not worth getting excited about.

The long-range stuff around August 4th and 5th is mostly poor, with a bit of a bump in size on Wednesday, August 5th, with a 6ft WNW windswell but only a 7-second period and messy onshore winds. That’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session.

So, to wrap it up: the best surf on offer is Monday morning, July 27th, at Refugio State Beach. The swell is 4ft from the SSW with a long 18-second period and very strong energy (1639). If you can handle the light onshore wind, that’s the session to aim for. The runner-up is Thursday afternoon, July 24th, for the 6ft of clean, short-period swell.

-Rusty

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