Arrieta Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for our stretch of coast.

Well, I gotta be straight with you – this run of weather is a tough one. We're looking at a real dry spell for quality waves. The whole 16-day window is pretty much a write-off for anything decent.

Arrieta, our local reef, is the only game in town, but she's not playing ball. This spot is normally a sneaky little number, an inconsistent reef that needs the right angle. It's sheltered and picks up the northerly swells, but the problem is the wind. Almost the entire period, we’ve got a moderate to fresh cross-breeze or cross-offshore wind. That might sound okay, but the data shows "poor surf conditions" for day after day after day.

The combined swell energy hovers between 135 and 315 – that's moderate energy on offer – with mostly short-period, wind-driven swell around 3 ft to 4½ ft. But it's all mushy and bumpy. There are a few brief windows around Monday the 18th and Wednesday the 20th of August where the wind drops to a gentle breeze and it goes clean, with the combined swell energy around 135 to 150, but the swell is only 3 ft with an 8-second period. You might find a little waist-high closeout, but it's honestly not worth paddling out for. The water temp is sitting at 73°F which is bang on average for this time of year, so at least you won't freeze waiting for a set.

After the 21st of August, the wind really pipes up – fresh to strong breezes – and the sea gets lumpy. The swell height bumps up a touch, hitting 6 ft on Thursday the 27th with the swell energy climbing to 362, but with a short 7-second period and cross-shore wind, it's just a messy, choppy wall of whitewater. By the end of the month, the energy spikes hard, like on the 31st of August with a 566 reading, but the long-period 12-second swell from the NNW is getting hammered by a cross-breeze. For a reef setup, that long period might offer a few cleaner lines, but it's not going to be pretty.

Honestly, lads, for a proper surf we'd want a good northerly groundswell with lighter, offshore winds. That combination just isn't in the cards. If the wind keeps up like this, the beachies might actually be more interesting for the kite crew than for paddle surfing.

Stick to the skatepark or get the wax ready for another run. Forecasts can always flick a switch, but right now, it's a long wait.

Rusty.

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