Newport Has Special Place in the Sun for Oregon Coast's Second Summer

Published 09/12/2017 at 7:27 PM PDT - Updated 09/12/2017 at 7:28 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Newport, Oregon) – The famed Second Summer is in full swing on the Oregon coast (aside from a week of kind of so-so weather that's coming up), and Newport has some particularly attractive aspects going on.

September and early October feature the best weather of the entire year on these beaches, coming up with a lot of nice stretches of sunny and windless days in the 60s and 70s. For Newport, this is also translating into more whales and better crabbing this year, along with lesser crowds, sinking lodging prices and an unusually large array of outdoor restaurants.

That Stellar Second Summer Weather. You need only to look at the first half of September to see plenty of 70-degree days in Newport. This second summer phenomenon usually goes well into the middle of October, and then conditions begin turning towards more blustery days. However, about 50 percent of the time, some nice runs of warm weather still appear in the final two weeks of October.

The science behind it is interesting, and it begins with the summer season having heated up the ocean by this time. This exerts a stronger warming influence on the surrounding air. Then, the temperature differences between inland Oregon and the coast are not as pronounced, which allows more easterly and southerly winds to come in – thus warming things up even more.

These conditions help produce less upwelling from the ocean, which brings the wind factor down even further. All of this combines to create the second summer phenomenon from September through October.

Whale Numbers are Awesome Right Now. According to Oregon State Parks and Recreation's Luke Parsons, the Whale Watch Center in Depoe Bay is reporting seeing five to ten whales a day at that location alone. Those kinds of numbers are quite steady through much of Lincoln County, but the whale watch tours are encountering much more than that.

Newport hosts about ten such whale watch businesses. Parsons said the tour boats are seeing more than one whale on each run.

Gray whales are aplenty, hanging out in this area to fatten up before their big migration in December. Yet Humpback whales are also in good numbers at times.

Parsons said to expect these kinds of numbers throughout September and probably early October as well. On top of the food sources which keep them around, these calm, Second Summer conditions also cajole them and make it much easier to spot them.

Crabbing Around Newport. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) reports that right about now crabs have grown into their shells and are larger and meatier. ODFW said catches are increasing along the entire coast. Newport's Yaquina Bay has long been an excellent spot for crabbing off the docks, and it's home to several fishing charter boats.

These conditions are expected to continue with the second summer.

Lodging Prices and Less Crowds. On top of the whales, crabbing and great weather, this is also when Newport gets less crowded and hotel rates start dipping. Lodging prices in the middle of the week are especially enticing, but when October begins those drop even further, according to Newport Chamber Executive Director Courtney Rand.

“Later in the season, hotels will run packages and promotions, often times all you have to do is ask if they have any specials,” she said.

Meanwhile, summer crowds are mostly gone but there's still summer weather – certainly on weekdays.

Outdoor Restaurants. Newport boasts what is likely the largest number of restaurants with outdoor seating along the entire coast. The Chamber said there are about 13. These are perfect for soaking in the warm coastal air of this season. Newport Hotels for this event - Where to eat - Map and Virtual Tour

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