Rockaway Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Rockaway. It’s a bit of a slow start, so don’t get your hopes up too early.

We’re looking at a pretty flat and lackluster period right out of the gate. The first real chance for a wave won’t come until Wednesday morning, the 22nd of July. Before that, it’s a write-off thanks to a stormy Tuesday with a raw 22 mph SSE wind and a messy, short-period 5 ft swell that’s all over the place. The combined swell energy is a weak 98 (that’s in the low range), so honestly, not worth paddling out for.

Wednesday morning, the 22nd, things start to look a little more promising. A clean, cross-offshore WSW breeze at 16 mph is blowing over a 5 ft S swell with a period of 8 seconds. The energy picks up to 247 (moderate range), but it’s still a marginal surf. The water temp is sitting at 74°, which is about average for the time of year (anomaly of 1°), so you’ll be fine in a springsuit. By Wednesday afternoon, the wind lightens up, and the swell drops to 4 ft, but it’s still clean. Honestly, it’s ordinary surf, but it’s the best we’ve got in the first week.

After that, we hit a flat spell. Thursday the 23rd has a tiny 3 ft SSE swell, but it’s cross-on and weak. Friday through Sunday, the 24th to 26th, is a real bummer – winds are onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell is tiny and short-period. The energy numbers are in the dirt (38 to 144), meaning the ocean is basically asleep. The Sunday morning of the 26th has a glassy surface, but the swell is only 2 ft, so it’s more of a sea paddle than a surf.

The whole first week is a washout, and the gap extends for several days with no real recommendations. It’s a tough stretch.

Now, let’s look into the second week, and there’s a glimmer of hope. Sunday, the 2nd of August, is the standout. By the afternoon, we’ve got a clean, moderate offshore WNW wind at 12 mph, blowing over a 4 ft SE swell with a period of 7 seconds. The energy jumps to 242 (solid moderate), and the forecast says “expect good surf conditions.” This is the pick of the bunch. The swell direction is SSE, which is the optimum for Rockaway, so it should line up nicely. That morning is also decent, with a 3 ft SE swell and clean cross-offshore winds, but the afternoon is the better session.

Monday the 3rd of August is also a good morning. A glassy, offshore WNW breeze at 3 mph, with a 3 ft SSE swell. The energy is 244 (strong moderate), and the conditions are clean. It’s a smaller wave, but it’ll be lined up and fun. Keep in mind, the afternoon on Monday goes to crap as the wind swings onshore, so get out early.

The rest of the days after that, through Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th, the swell fades back to 2 ft with onshore winds and weak energy. It’s a back-to-flat scenario.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a dud. The real standout is Sunday, the 2nd of August, with clean, offshore winds and a solid 4 ft SE swell. It’s not huge, but it’s the best on offer. The Monday morning also looks good for a smaller, glassy session.

Stay patient, and don’t get too excited about the early days. The ocean will wake up for that first weekend in August.

Rusty.

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