Willow Creek Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s break down what’s happening at Willow Creek over the next couple of weeks.

The swell window’s been working, but honestly, most of this stretch is going to be a bit of a grind. The first few days have some size but the wind is just messy, making for lumpy, cross-shore chop. The real standout here is going to be later in the period, with a couple of glassy windows that should finally clean things up.

We kick off on Sunday the 13th, and it’s a rough start. We’ve got a 7 ft WNW swell rolling in, but it’s short-period at 7 seconds and being hammered by a 19 mph NW cross-wind. Not worth paddling out – the total wave energy is moderate, but the surface is just too blown out.

Monday the 14th is better, but not by much. Same cross-shore wind, lighter though. The swell drops slightly to 6 ft, period stretches to 8 seconds, and wave energy bumps up. Still, that cross-shore breeze means it’s a bit rippled, not the clean stuff we want. Tuesday the 15th is pretty similar – 6 ft NW swell, 9 seconds, light cross-wind. It’s surfable if you're desperate, but it's not pretty.

Wednesday the 16th sees things drop off fast. Morning has a tiny 3 ft WNW swell with an onshore breeze – not great. The afternoon gets weird: a 2 ft SSW swell but with a very long 17-second period. The energy is still moderate, but that long period means it’s going to be fickle and straight at this beach break. Not the spot for it. Thursday the 17th through the weekend is more of the same: small, cross-shore winds, with swell heights bottoming out around 2 ft to 3 ft. A few days of this are a write-off.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. On Tuesday the 22nd, we get a real change. The afternoon goes completely glassy – no wind. Swell is only 3 ft from the SW with a 16-second period, but that clean surface is a huge win. This is your best bet for a sneaky, clean session if you’re patient.

Then Wednesday the 23rd, the afternoon goes glassy again. Swell is 4 ft from the WNW, 11-second period. Light offshore, clean faces. This is looking like the other real standout.

The following days through to the 28th are a mixed bag – small swells, cross-winds, and not much to write home about. A couple of days have light winds and small bumps, but nothing that gets the heart racing. The final day, Monday the 28th, has a 5 ft WNW swell with a 9-second period, but it’s cross-shore again. Not the clean finish we hoped for.

So, the best on offer:
Your two true standouts are the afternoons of Tuesday the 22nd and Wednesday the 23rd. Both are glassy, clean, and will be super fun on the small but long-period swells. The 22nd has the 3 ft, 16-second SW groundswell – perfect for a reef break like Willow Creek, with long lines and easy paddling. The 23rd has a bit more size at 4 ft, WNW, 11 seconds. Both will be uncrowded and magical.

Water temp is about 62°, which is pretty average for this time of year – no wetsuit drama.

Stay patient, Willow Creek will give you a couple of golden windows.

Rusty.

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