Arpoador Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty.

Alright, let’s keep it real. The next couple of weeks around Arpoador are a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a solid run of swell coming through, but the wind is going to be the deciding factor. The water’s at 74°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so you might not need the thick rubber.

The first real window kicks off Friday morning, August 14. We’ve got chest-high waves around 6ft from the S with a 13-second period. The energy is moderate at 1012, so there’s some push. But the wind is WSW at 6 mph, making it cross-on, so it’s going to be lumpy. It’s surfable, but not pretty. The afternoon drops to just under 5ft, but the wind swings SW and stays on it. These are just get-wet sessions.

Saturday, August 15, is where it starts to get interesting. The swell builds to 7ft from the SSE with a 13-second period. The wind is light and cross-off from the E, keeping things clean. The energy jumps to a strong 1326, so there’s real grunt. This is a good morning. The afternoon drops a little to 6ft but stays clean with a 12 mph cross-off. Crowds are likely, so get in early.

Sunday, August 16, is a classic morning. The swell is still a solid 6ft, but the period drops right off to 7 seconds. That’s short-period wind swell, so expect it to be crumbly. The wind is light cross-off from the ENE, and it’s clean, so it’ll be fun, but not that long-period groundswell we love. The energy is moderate at 775. The afternoon goes flat and windy.

Monday, August 17, sees the swell back down a bit to 6ft from the E, but the period is still short at 8 seconds. The morning has light offshore NE winds, which is a big plus for clean faces. It’s a decent session. The afternoon turns cross-shore and weaker.

Tuesday, August 18, is another morning session. Swell is 5ft from the E with a short 8-second period, but there’s clean offshore NNE wind. It’s fun, not epic. The afternoon cross-shore wind kills it.

Then we hit a lull. From Wednesday, August 19, through Friday, August 21, the size drops off. Wednesday morning has a weak 4ft, no energy. Thursday morning has a pulse back to 5ft from the E, but it’s short-period and weak. Friday is poor—cross-on winds and tiny surf. You’re better off doing something else.

Saturday, August 22, is rough. It’s down to 2ft, but the wind goes glassy in the morning. The period is a long 12 seconds, so there’s lines, but barely any size. It’s a flat spell that lasts through to Monday, August 24. A few knee-high dribbles, but it’s not worth paddling out for.

Now, the standout of the whole window. On Tuesday, August 25, the ocean wakes up. The swell bumps back up to 4ft from the S with a nice long 12-second period. The morning is glassy with next to no wind. It’s clean, it’s lined up, and it’s going to be fun. The energy is moderate at 367. This is your best bet for a quality, clean session. The afternoon holds it with light cross-off winds, so you’ve got a full day.

After that, it fades again. Wednesday through Friday, it’s small and onshore. But hold on—Saturday, August 29, is another promise. The swell pulses back up to 3ft from the SSE with a solid 13-second period, and the energy is back up to 384. The morning wind is a light cross-off from the NNW, so it should be clean. It’s not big, but it’s a proper long-period groundswell with good shape. It’s distant, so don’t book your flights yet, but keep an eye on it.

So, where’s the best surf? Keep it simple. Saturday morning, August 15, is your biggest and most powerful swell with clean wind. That’s the one. And then Tuesday, August 25, is your cleanest, most perfect wave of the window, just smaller. Those are the two to circle.

Signing off, Rusty.

Read more