Ano Nuevo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got the outlook for Ano Nuevo from now through the 16-day window. Honestly, it’s a tough beat. This spot – a sheltered beach and reef setup that’s advanced only and inconsistent – is seeing a long stretch of poor surf conditions. The first real recommendation doesn’t pop up until Wednesday, 19 August, and even then it’s marginal at best.

For the next six days, from Thursday morning 13 August right through to the end of Tuesday 18 August, it’s all poor surf with scores of 0. The waves are tiny – mostly 2 ft to 3 ft – and it’s cross-shore or cross-onshore winds the whole time, from mild breezes up to a fresh 19 mph cross-shore on Tuesday afternoon. The combined swell energy is moderate, sitting around 334 to 631 (values in brackets), but that long-period 16-second SSW groundswell just isn’t getting the job done thanks to the wind ruining any chance of a clean face. It’s frustrating to watch.

Then on Wednesday morning 19 August, we get a glimmer – but it’s a marginal call, not a green light. Swell jumps to 7 ft from the NW with an 8-second period, and combined energy is strong at 1245 (values in brackets). That’s a lot of power, but the period is short – only 8 seconds – so it’ll be a bit lumpy and messy. Wind is still cross-shore at 12 mph, so it won’t be glassy. This size (over 5 ft) is too much for beginners, and at over 8 ft it’s for experts, but 7 ft sits in the zone where it’s manageable for the advanced crew this spot is designed for. Still, the short period and cross-shore wind mean it won’t be a standout session. The afternoon drops back to 3 ft from the SSW, so that morning window is the only half-chance in the whole outlook.

After that, it’s back to poor conditions for the rest of the run. From Thursday 20 August morning through to Friday 28 August morning, the swell stays small (1 ft to 5 ft) with mostly moderate cross-shore winds and combined energy values ranging from 227 to 823 (values in brackets). There’s a bit of a bump on 27 August morning with 5 ft NW swell at 8 seconds and energy at 823, but the cross-shore wind (12 mph) and short period kill it again. No standout sessions in the second week – just a lot of blown-out, chopped-up, or tiny surf.

So the best on offer is the Wednesday morning 19 August window: 7 ft NW swell with moderate energy (1245) at a short 8-second period, cross-shore wind, and a marginal rating. It’s not a classic, and you’d want to be an experienced local to make anything of it. The break itself is sheltered, inconsistent, and sees crowds sometimes, so you might have company if you paddle out. With the poor quality across the board, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on most days.

Water temperature is about average for the time of year here, nothing unusual to report.

Rusty.

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