Surf Forecasts:
Third Reef surf forecast from 13 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 14 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 13s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 8s period, NW swell with 694 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 13 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 13s period with SSW 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 Monday (Jul 13) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.8m and 6s 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 2.3m 8s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Mon 13th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Tue 14th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Third Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaking at Third Reef.
Right off the bat, don’t get too excited for the first week. We’ve got a rough start. Monday the 13th through to Wednesday the 15th is mostly a write-off with poor, choppy conditions and cross-onshore winds messing things up. The water is a bit colder than normal for this time of year at 54°F.
The first real glimmer of hope comes Tuesday afternoon, the 14th. The wind drops to glassy, and we get a 4ft swell from the NW. It’s not big, but with clean conditions, it’s a chance to get wet. The combined wave energy is moderate at 410.
Wednesday the 15th afternoon is marginal, and Thursday the 16th is back to poor. The swell picks up energy through the middle of the month, but the wind stays cross-on, so it’s frustrating.
The real standout window is Saturday the 25th. That afternoon, the wind goes glassy, and we’ve got a solid 8ft swell from the NW with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy is strong at 1168. This is the best on offer, but with size over 8ft, this is strictly for experienced surfers. It’s going to be a powerful, clean session for those who can handle it. The Sunday the 26th keeps the size but the cross-on wind returns, making it more of a challenge.
Before that, Monday the 20th afternoon is worth noting – glassy wind and a 6ft NW swell, with moderate energy at 758. A nice, solid option for intermediate surfers. Tuesday the 21st morning is also glassy with a clean 4ft NW swell.
The other standout is Saturday the 25th afternoon. I already mentioned it, but it’s the best of the whole run. Also, don’t sleep on Sunday the 19th afternoon – glassy conditions with a 3ft, long-period 17-second SW groundswell. That’s a very long period, which will make for some well-shaped, powerful lines at this reef, though the sets will be spread out.
For the rest of the second week, there are a few more marginal days and another glassy morning on Thursday the 23rd with a 3ft SSW swell. By Friday the 24th morning, we get glassy conditions again with a 4ft NW swell.
The forecast is less certain out that far, but the pattern is there. Keep your eyes on the 25th. That’s the one.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Mon morning, min 11°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu night, min 11°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 8 | NW 6 | SSW 13 | NW 7 | NW 6 | SW 18 | NW 7 | NW 6 | NW 9 | NW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 18 | WNW 17 | WNW 16 | WNW 16 | WNW 16 | SW 18 | WNW 16 | WNW 15 | SW 17 | SW 17 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 180 | 167 | 184 | 86 | 132 | 194 | 153 | 226 | 255 | 210 | 262 | 318 | 344 | 390 | 371 | 362 | 375 | 277 | 263 | 439 | 419 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | glassy | cross |
High Tide | 12:11PM1.42m | 10:39PM2.29m | 12:57PM1.50m | 11:34PM2.26m | 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 | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:34PM0.90m | 6:07AM-0.60m | 5:35PM0.84m | 6:53AM-0.56m | 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 | ||||||||
 | |  | |  | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | |
 | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — |
 | — | 8:45 | — | — | 8:44 | — | — | 8:44 | — | — | 8:43 | — | — | 8:43 | — | — | 8:42 | — | — | 8:40 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 |
Feels °C | 16 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | W 14 | WNW 9 | SW 18 | WNW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WNW 19 | NW 8 | WNW 17 | WNW 16 | NW 8 | WNW 16 | SW 18 | WNW 16 | WNW 15 | SW 17 | SW 17 |
| kJ | 127 | 118 | 184 | 51 | 104 | 70 | 150 | 56 | 161 | 159 | 203 | 116 | 344 | 390 | 84 | 362 | 375 | 277 | 263 | 439 | 419 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | WNW 15 | WNW 8 | WNW 14 | SSW 12 | SW 18 | W 13 | SW 17 | WNW 20 | WNW 19 | SW 16 | WNW 18 | SW 19 | SW 14 | WNW 16 | SW 17 | WNW 16 | NW 10 | SW 16 | WNW 14 | WNW 14 |
| kJ | 66 | 76 | 43 | 69 | 61 | 194 | 89 | 103 | 218 | 205 | 159 | 318 | 296 | 74 | 371 | 297 | 353 | 74 | 201 | 165 | 163 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 14 | S 13 | SW 19 | SW 13 | SW 18 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | WNW 20 | WNW 12 | SW 21 | W 12 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 19 | SW 14 | NW 11 | SW 13 | SW 16 | NW 9 | S 11 | SSE 13 |
| kJ | 33 | 31 | 133 | 44 | 113 | 93 | 37 | 135 | 30 | 70 | 26 | 143 | 103 | 177 | 130 | 57 | 61 | 94 | 22 | 9 | 35 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 8 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 7 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 7 | NW 6 | NW 9 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 5 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 10 | NW 6 | NW 7 | NW 6 | NW 8 |
| kJ | 180 | 167 | 30 | 86 | 132 | 36 | 153 | 226 | 255 | 210 | 262 | 227 | 99 | 89 | 200 | 86 | 362 | 36 | 73 | 194 | 198 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 193 | 422 | 0 | 195 | 0 | 0 | 195 | 386 | 3 | 195 | 195 | 0 | 283 | 386 | 0 | 195 | 3 | 3 | 124 | 0 | 3 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Humboldt County | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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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