Rockaway Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a long look at what Rockaway has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. Straight up, this is a tough outlook. We’ve got a lot of swell on the way, but the wind is going to be a persistent problem, making it hard to find clean conditions. We’re looking at a long stretch of cross-onshore breezes that will keep the surface choppy.

The 16-day window kicks off with Monday the 6th of July. The morning offers the best chance we’ll see for a while with a 3ft SW groundswell at a juicy 16 seconds. The energy is moderate (648), but that long-period groundswell will have some punch and shape at the right spots. The wind is a light cross-shore from the SW, so it’s not perfect, but it’s the cleanest it’s going to be for days. The water temp is about average for the time of year. After that morning, things go downhill fast. The wind swings onshore and chop takes over, and by Tuesday the 7th, a new, short-period 5ft NW swell (7 seconds) shows up with poor conditions. That NW wind stays relentless.

From Wednesday the 8th of July right through to Sunday the 19th of July, it’s a grind. We get a solid pulse of NW swell, with heights bouncing between 6ft and 8ft, and combined energy values regularly hitting three digits (like 1640 on the 8th and 1666 on the 9th). But every single session is marred by cross-onshore or onshore wind from the W or WNW. For a beach and reef setup like Rockaway, that means constant chop and poor surf quality. This stretch is frankly more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, given the strong, consistent wind and decent wave heights. The period stays short, mostly 8 to 9 seconds, which is just windswell mush under those breezes.

The first real sign of light at the end of the tunnel comes on Friday the 17th of July. The morning shows a 7ft WNW swell (9 seconds) with a light cross-onshore breeze, only 3 mi/h. The wave face will have some shape and the surface has just small wind ripples. That’s a marginal call, but it’s the best-looking window in this entire forecast. The energy is strong (1255). It’s not glassy offshore, but it’s close to the best we’ll get. The following Saturday and Sunday mornings (18th and 19th) also offer light breezes with 7ft swell, but the direction keeps that cross-onshore element, so don’t expect perfection. For an advanced break, this will be the time to get on it.

I wouldn't call any single day a true standout. The closest is Friday the 17th morning—that’s your pick of the litter. The swell is solid NW, the wave energy is pumping, and the wind is light enough to not ruin it completely. After that, the 20th and 21st see the swell dropping away quickly, finishing with another 2ft long-period SW groundswell on Tuesday the 21st, but again with that same nagging cross-onshore wind. It’s a long, frustrating forecast for Rockaway. Keep an eye on it, but don’t plan your week around it.

Rusty.

Read more