Refugio State Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let's talk about what's coming up for Refugio State Beach.

Right off the bat, we've got a bit of a slow start. The first few days of the forecast period are pretty flat and the conditions are just not working for us. The water is feeling much warmer than usual for this time of year, sitting at 69°, which is a nice bonus for the body, but the lack of wave energy is the real story. The swell is tiny, around 1ft to 2ft, and the wind is mostly cross-onshore or onshore, so we're looking at a stretch of poor surf up through the 6th of August. There's nothing to get excited about for a few days.

Things start to get a little more interesting around the 7th of August. The swell picks up slightly to 2ft to 2ft out of the SSW, but more importantly, the period jumps to a very long 19 seconds. That's a proper groundswell, but it's still small. The energy is moderate, reading around 298 to 322. The morning winds are light and onshore, with a slight air, so it's a bit of a marginal situation. It's still not what you'd call a standout, but it’s an improvement.

The real shift happens as we get into the second week. On the 14th of August, we start to see a significant increase in swell energy. The combined energy climbs to 441, and then 625 on the afternoon of the 14th, which is a solid moderate energy. The swell is 3ft from the SSW with a very long period of 18-19 seconds. The problem is the wind. It's clean in the morning with a light breeze, but the afternoons are a cross-onshore mess. This pattern continues through the 15th and 16th, with energy readings hitting 673 and 383, and swell heights up to 3ft. The swell is there, but the quality is being held back by the wind.

The best bet in this entire outlook, and the one to really mark on your calendar, is the morning of the 20th of August. The combined energy of all the swells directed here hits a strong 920, with a 6ft SSW swell. The swell direction is a little off from the optimum W direction, but the period is a solid 9 seconds. The morning wind is light and cross-onshore, but more importantly, the conditions are clean. This is the standout session. The other notable moment is the afternoon of the 18th of August, where we see 8ft of WNW swell, but it's a short-period windswell of only 7 seconds. That's a lot of water moving, but it will be a bit of a bumpy, choppy beast. It's best for experts at that size, and the short period means it'll be a bit fat and less organized.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. The 20th of August morning is the clear highlight, with strong energy and clean conditions. Don't get your hopes up for anything before that, and keep an eye on the late-period swell events for that clean window.

- Rusty

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