Refugio State Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what's cookin' for the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water temps are sittin' right about average for this time of year, so nothin' wild to report there.

To be honest, it's a pretty quiet stretch ahead. We've got a long 16-day window, but the surf is real marginal for the most part. There's a bit of a dry spell from the 13th through the 17th of August. You'll see some energy in the water, but it's just not comin' together. Swell is tiny, mostly around the 2 ft to 3 ft mark, coming from the SSW with some really long periods, up to 19 seconds. That long period stuff at Refugio State Beach, a beach and point, can sometimes be a bit too straight and not peel the way you want. The wind is a bit of a mixed bag too, mostly a light cross-onshore breeze, which puts a little texture on it. The combined energy is weak to moderate at best. Honestly, it's a tough paddle for not much reward.

Now, the best chance for a wave in the whole outlook looks to be on Tuesday the 18th of August. We see the swell size bump up to about 6 ft in the afternoon, coming from the WNW. That northwest angle is closer to the optimum swell direction for this spot. The period drops to a short 8 seconds though, making it a bit of a wind swell. The combined energy kicks up into moderate territory. The wind switches to a light cross-shore, which is the best wind we'll see all week for this break. Waves at 6 ft start to push into the intermediate zone, but it's still manageable. That Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday the 19th of August are your best bets, with similar afternoon energy around 6 ft. The wind stays light cross-onshore, so there'll be some ripples, but it's the most size we get.

After that, it fades right back down. From the 20th through to the 23rd of August, we're back to tiny surf, with heights under 3 ft and the combined energy droppin' off. It's a struggle.

Around the 24th and 25th of August, there's a little pulse of long-period SW groundswell (16-18 seconds) but the size is still only 2 ft to 2 ft. The energy is moderate-ish in the mornings but just not enough push to get excited about, and the winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore.

The tail end of the outlook on Friday the 28th of August shows a WNW pulse coming back to about 4 ft with a short 8-second period, but the energy ain't great. It's a "keep an eye on it" situation for the long-range.

So there you have it. A lot of small, crummy conditions, but mark your calendar for the 18th and 19th of August for the best chance at a few fun, cleanish ones before the crowds roll in at Refugio.

Rusty.

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