Ano Nuevo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you — this outlook for Ano Nuevo is a tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of tricky conditions, and honestly, there’s no standout day in the whole 16-day window. The first decent surf recommendation doesn’t pop up until Wednesday morning, July 29th, and even then it’s only a marginal call.

The overall pattern is a persistent cross-shore wind from the northwest, which is going to mess up the surface on most days. The swell is mostly coming from the SSW with a very long period of 16 seconds, which is groundswell and sounds good on paper. But the energy is moderate (1179), and with that cross-shore breeze, it’s going to be lumpy and hard to enjoy. Wednesday afternoon on the 29th is a write-off with a fresh breeze and lumpy chop.

We then hit a dry spell from Thursday, July 30th, all the way through to Monday, August 4th, where the surf is consistently poor. The wind stays cross and the swell drops off. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual there.

There’s a slight change on Saturday, August 1st, with a pulse of swell from the NW at 6 ft, but the period is short at 8 seconds, and the wind is still cross. It’s just not clean. The energy is moderate (953) but don’t get excited — it’s a poor surf call.

The only glimmer of hope comes on Monday, August 3rd, with a morning session showing some clouds and a light offshore wind from the SSW. The swell is 6 ft from the WNW with a 10-second period, and the energy is moderate (682). It’s still a marginal forecast, but that offshore wind could make it the cleanest option in a grim period. The break is a beach and reef setup, and it’s advanced only, so this isn’t one for beginners. It’s inconsistent here, and crowds are sometimes a problem, so you might have it to yourself.

After that, the second week from August 5th onward is flat or poor. The swell drops to knee-high, the wind is mostly cross-onshore, and the energy is weak. There’s a long-period SSW groundswell on the 11th and 12th, but with fresh cross-shore winds, it’s a no-go. The setup, with that cross-shore wind and medium swell, might actually be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Bottom line: there’s nothing to get excited about. If you’re desperate, aim for Monday morning, August 3rd, when the offshore wind might give you a window. The rest of the 16 days is a blank run, which is normal for this area when the wind doesn’t play ball.

Rusty.

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