Rockaway Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s going on for Rockaway over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, we’re in for a pretty flat and quiet stretch. The forecast shows a whole lot of nothing for the first few days, so don’t bother paddling out until at least Wednesday the 22nd of July. Even then, it’s marginal. The good news is, once we get past the middle of the week, the wind starts to play ball and we get a small window of clean, surfable waves.

The water at Rockaway is sitting at 74°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – a nice bonus if you’re paddling out in a shorty.

We’ve got a bit of a pulse coming in on Wednesday morning, with a swell around 4ft from the S, but it’s a short-period 8 seconds and the wind is cross-offshore. The combined swell energy is moderate (228). It’s not going to be world-class, but it’s the first real chance to get wet. By Wednesday afternoon, it bumps up to 5ft from the S, still with that short period, and the energy picks up to 309. Still just a marginal surf.

The standout, and what I’d call the best on offer, is Thursday morning the 23rd of July. The wind swings to a clean offshore from the NNW at 12 mph, and we’ve got a 4ft swell from the SSE with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (218). This is the cleanest we’ll see it all week. The offshore wind will keep the faces smooth, and the swell is a friendly size for intermediate surfers. It’s not huge, but it’s clean and rideable. Crowds are likely at Rockaway, so get out early.

The rest of the week and into the weekend is a mixed bag of glassy mornings with tiny waves, or choppy afternoons. Friday morning the 24th and Saturday morning the 25th both look glassy, but the swell drops to 2ft and 2ft respectively, with a short period. The energy is weak (55). You could get a fun little log out, but it’s not going to be a day for real waves.

Looking a bit further out, we’ve got a glimmer of hope on Sunday the 2nd of August. The morning shows a clean 4ft swell from the S with a light offshore breeze. The energy is moderate (128). It’s a long way out, so it’s a promising but less certain call. The afternoon of that same day sees a jump to 5ft from the S, but the wind turns cross-onshore and choppy, which ruins it.

So, to sum it up: hold out for Thursday morning the 23rd if you want a clean session. The rest is mostly small, choppy, or flat. The first week is a bit of a write-off, but the second week has a couple of glimmers if the forecasts hold.

Rusty.

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