Third Reef Surf Break

Lat Long: 40.03° N 124.08° W

Third Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 10 am 15 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Third Reef sea temperature is
12.4° C
0.8° 

Third Reef surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Third Reef surf forecast from 15 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 17 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 17s period, SW swell with 505 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 16 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 20s period with WNW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Third Reef this week:

The surf forecast for Third Reef over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 16) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 20s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 0.6m and 16s is also forecast. Another secondary swell of 0.6m and 5s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Third Reef in the next 16 days are 0.9m 17s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 14s period and expected on Monday (Jul 20) at 8PM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 2AM (Thu 16th Jul)1.5ft (0.5m) 20s
Best Surf11PM (Fri 17th Jul)3ft (0.9m) 16s
Most Powerful 8PM (Sun 19th Jul)3ft (0.9m) 17s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Third Reef over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve been staring at the charts for Third Reef and I gotta be straight with you — it’s a rough stretch ahead. We’ve got a 16-day window, and the first real surf worth paddling out for doesn’t show up until Sunday the 19th. Before that, it’s a whole lot of nothing. From Wednesday the 15th all the way through Saturday the 18th, the conditions are just plain poor — cross-onshore winds, choppy, weak little waves. You’d be wasting your time.

Now, Sunday morning the 19th is where we get a little glimmer. The wind goes glassy, dead calm, and we’ve got a 4ft swell from the NW with a short period of 8 seconds. It’s a small, clean wave — nothing special, but it’s the best we’ve seen. The combined energy is moderate at 609, so there’s a bit of push. The water temp is sitting at 54°, which is about 1° cooler than average for this time of year — nothing wild, just a bit nippy. Third Reef is a reef break, exposed to WNW swell, and the optimum direction is WNW, so that NW swell is in the right ballpark. It’s fairly consistent, and crowds are only sometimes a problem, so there’s a chance you’ll have it to yourself. This is the standout of the whole period, but it’s still a small, short-period wave — good for a cruise, not a thumping session.

Tuesday the 22nd afternoon offers another glassy moment, with a 2ft swell from the SSW, period 14 seconds (longer period, more energy per wave), and combined energy of 275 — weak. It’s clean but tiny. You’d need a longboard and a lot of patience.

Then we get to Friday the 24th afternoon. That’s the real standout for the experienced crew. The swell jumps to 3ft from the SW, but the period is a massive 24 seconds — that’s very long-period groundswell, and for a reef like Third Reef, that’s a treat. The combined energy hits 1325, which is strong. The wind goes glassy, and the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. This is the one to circle on the calendar. It’s two weeks out, so it’s promising but not locked in, but if it comes together, it’ll be the best wave of the whole outlook.

The days after that — Saturday the 25th through to Wednesday the 30th — are mostly marginal or poor, with messy cross-onshore winds and weak, short-period swells. Nothing worth getting excited about.

So bottom line: Sunday the 19th morning for a clean, small glassy session, and Friday the 24th afternoon for the experienced crew looking for a long-period, glassy gem. The rest is a write-off.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Wed afternoon, min 10°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NNW on Thu afternoon, light winds from the NNW by Fri night).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Sat morning, min 12°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
2
0
0
1
0
1
3
1
2
2
3
2
3
0
1
2
1
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.2
NW
9
1.7
NW
6
0.5
WNW
20
1.1
NW
9
0.6
SW
16
0.7
WNW
18
0.8
WNW
17
0.9
WNW
16
0.9
WNW
16
0.9
WNW
16
0.8
SW
18
0.8
WNW
16
1.3
NW
8
0.9
SW
17
0.9
SW
17
0.7
SW
16
0.9
SW
16
0.9
SW
16
0.7
SW
16
0.8
SSW
15
0.8
SSW
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
246
185
218
205
203
318
344
390
371
362
375
273
227
439
419
264
362
367
248
275
272
Wind (km/h)
20
NW
25
NW
15
NNE
25
NW
30
NNW
15
N
20
NW
15
NW
10
NNE
10
WNW
5
NW
5
N
5
SW
5
WNW
5
NW
10
WNW
15
WNW
5
N
15
WNW
10
WNW
10
NNE
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross
glassy
on
glassy
on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
1:41PM1.57m
00:29AM2.16m
2:22PM1.63m
1:24AM2.00m
3:03PM1.69m
2:20AM1.80m
3:42PM1.73m
3:18AM1.57m
4:22PM1.76m
4:22AM1.36m
5:02PM1.77m
5:40AM1.19m
5:44PM1.78m
Low Tide
6:33PM0.77m
7:38AM-0.45m
7:31PM0.71m
8:20AM-0.27m
8:32PM0.64m
9:02AM-0.06m
9:37PM0.58m
9:42AM0.17m
10:44PM0.51m
10:22AM0.40m
11:52PM0.42m
11:03AM0.61m
00:59AM0.33m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:58
6:00
6:01
6:01
6:01
6:03
6:03
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:44
8:43
8:43
8:42
8:40
8:40
8:39
 mm
Temp °C
19
22
20
18
20
17
15
15
15
14
14
13
14
13
12
14
14
13
15
15
13
Feels °C
14
17
16
14
14
13
12
12
14
12
12
13
13
12
12
12
12
13
13
13
13
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Third Reef Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Third Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Third Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Third Reef surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Third Reef) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Third Reef may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Third Reef is 85 km (53 miles) from Eureka. If you plan a vacation in Humboldt County, look for hotels and other accommodation in Eureka. Eureka has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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