Rockaway Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what Rockaway’s got cooking.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next week and a half is a bit of a mixed bag. The water’s sitting at a very warm 62°F, which is much warmer than usual for this time of year, so that’s a nice bonus if you’re paddling out. But the surf quality? It’s a struggle. The wind is stuck in a cross-onshore rut for days, keeping things choppy and messy. The swell is mostly coming from the SW with some decent period around 18-19 seconds, which is proper groundswell, but that onshore wind is killing it. The combined energy is moderate to strong, so there’s power in the water, just not the shape.

We do see a shift around Wednesday the 29th. The swell swings to the NW and drops in period to a short 8 seconds, and the height bumps up to 7-8 ft. The wind relaxes a bit to a light breeze in the mornings, but it’s still cross-onshore. This is borderline – marginal at best. The combined energy is still moderate, but that short period makes it a bit fat and dumpy. This trend sticks around through the end of July and into early August. The mornings are your only hope, with lighter winds, but you’re still dealing with a cross-onshore component.

Now, let’s look at the real standout. It’s not until Thursday the 6th of August that we see something worth getting excited about. That morning, Rockaway gets a clean look with a light cross-offshore breeze from the SSW. The swell is smaller, only 3 ft from the NW with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is weak. But that clean wind makes all the difference. It’ll be a fun, clean little wave – perfect for getting some trim on a longboard. The afternoon gets a bit messy again, so hit it early.

After that, the energy drops off significantly. By Friday the 7th and Saturday the 8th, we’re looking at tiny, weak swell (2-3 ft) with combined energy well below 300, and the wind is back to being a problem. Not much to write home about.

Then, on Monday the 10th of August, there’s a late bloomer. The morning session shows a solid NW groundswell at 7 ft with a 10-second period and a clean cross-offshore wind. The combined energy is strong. For experienced surfers, this is the pick of the whole outlook – a powerful, clean groundswell. It’ll be a proper session, but the size means it’s for the advanced crew only. The afternoon gets a bit smaller and the wind shifts, so again, the morning is the window.

Best Bet: If you’re an experienced surfer, circle the morning of Monday the 10th of August. For the average surfer, the cleanest, most user-friendly conditions will be the morning of Thursday the 6th of August, even if it’s smaller.

Expect a long stretch of marginal, onshore-chopped slop before those two clean windows appear. There are crowds possible here, but honestly, with the quality on offer most days, it might not be as packed as usual.

Rusty.

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