Arrieta Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s cut through the hype and get down to it. I’ve been staring at the charts for Arrieta and, honestly, it’s a bit of a frustrating stretch. The ocean’s got some energy, but the wind and conditions are gonna make you work for any sort of decent wave.

The first couple of days are pretty weak. We’ve got some small, short-period swell pushing in, but it’s not doing much. Monday afternoon sees a clean 4ft from the north, but it’s weak energy (234) and the period is only 9 seconds. It’s rideable, but nothing to get excited about. Water temp is 74°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so you can get away with a thinner suit.

Tuesday and Wednesday are similar, with chest-high waves at best, but the wind is more cross than anything, making it a bit messy. The energy is still low, in the 130-175 range. It’s the kind of surf where you’re just paddling around, not really scoring.

Then things get tricky. From Thursday the 21st through the weekend, the swell bumps up a bit, but so does the wind. We see the energy climbing into the 200s and even 300s, but the north wind is blowing 15-19 mph and it’s cross-off at best. It’s clean-ish, but the swell is short-period and a bit lumpy. It’s surfable for a strong paddler, but not worth getting amped for.

The real power shows up on Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th. The swell jumps to 6ft and 7ft with energy readings of 406 and 524. That’s proper wave energy, but here’s the catch: it’s coming from the NNE and the wind is a fresh 19-22 mph cross. That’s a close-out machine for a beach break, and for a reef, it’ll be shifty and tough. This is getting into expert territory, and the conditions are going to be rough. I’d say this setup looks way more interesting for the kite surfers than for us paddle surfers.

The whole second week pretty much follows that pattern. The swell stays in that 5ft to 6ft range, with moderate to fresh cross-off winds. The energy levels are solid, in the 300s and 400s, but the cross-shore wind is gonna keep things lumpy and challenging. It’s not going to be clean, glassy surf. Even the lighter wind days are still cross-shore, creating a bumpy surface.

There’s a slight drop in swell and energy towards the very end of the window, on the 30th and 31st, with some NNW swell, but the energy drops back down and the wind stays messy.

So, to be straight with you, there’s no single standout day in this whole 16-day window. The waves are there, but the wind is just never going to be your friend. It’s a real bummer because the swell is offering up some size, it’s just that the conditions will keep it from cleaning up. If you’re a strong surfer who doesn’t mind a battle, you can get some waves on the bigger days, but for everyone else, this might be a good time to get the kites out or work on your flat-spell fitness.

This is a tough stretch for Arrieta. The waves are there, but it’s just not lining up for a quality session. Keep an eye on it, because forecasts can change, but as it stands, I’d be looking elsewhere for a clean wave.

Rusty

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