Steps Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down the surf ahead for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a massive slug of energy, but it’s going to be a while before it’s any good for surfing. We’re looking at Steps – it’s an exposed spot, so it catches everything, and right now it’s catching way too much.

Starting Thursday, July 9th, we have a serious SE swell running 13 feet with a 16-second period. That’s a long-period groundswell. The combined energy is massive at 7903 – strong stuff. But the problem is it’s just too big for the break. Winds are cross-off from the east at 19 mph, so it’ll look clean, but it’s a wall of water. By the afternoon, it bumps to 15 feet and 17 seconds, energy at 12057. Still too much. That pattern holds through Friday (July 10th) and Saturday (July 11th), with swell heights climbing to a monstrous 31 feet and howling offshore winds near gale to gale force. That’s not a paddle session – that’s kite or tow-in territory.

Sunday, July 12th, the swell drops to a still-chunky 12 feet in the morning and 10 feet in the afternoon, but it’s still on the big side for most. The period drops to 11-12 seconds, which is more manageable, but the energy remains moderate-strong (4819 and 2884). Still out of reach for the average surfer.

We then hit a quiet spell. From Monday, July 13th through to the end of that week, the surf gets marginal. Heights drop under 7 feet, periods go short (8-10 seconds), and the energy is weak (under 785). Conditions are clean but the waves are small and ordinary. Not worth the effort.

Hang in there, though. Things look better around Friday, July 17th. We get a small bump of S swell at 4 feet to 5 feet with a 9-second period. The energy is still low (299-357), but the wind goes glassy – calm or light airs. That’s a window for a fun, small-wave session with clean faces. Saturday morning, July 18th, brings calm conditions and a similar 4-foot S swell on the glass. If you’ve got a log, that’s your time.

The real standout, though, is coming into the second week. Look at Sunday, July 19th. We’ve got a SW groundswell pushing 4 feet but with a 13-second period. The energy ticks up to 660. The wind is light offshore from the SE in the morning, keeping it clean. This is the best combo of size, shape, and wind in the whole outlook. The longer period means the waves will have push and form, and with those offshores, it’ll be worth the paddle. Later in the afternoon, it stays clean with a gentle offshore. This is the pick of the bunch. It’s about 10 days out, so keep an eye on it, but it’s looking good.

Monday, July 20th, holds some moderate offshore energy with 4 feet of S swell at 9 seconds, and by then crowds at Steps can be often, so you might have some company. The rest of that week sees swell staying in the 3 to 5-foot range, but the winds turn cross-off or cross-shore, and the quality drops to marginal or poor. Nothing special.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off for most – too big, too wild. The best bets are the glassy mornings around July 17th-18th for small boards, and the real star is Sunday, July 19th with that long-period SW groundswell and clean offshores. That’s the one to mark on your calendar.

Rusty.

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