Arrieta Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Arrieta has in store for the next couple of weeks.

Alright, to be straight with you, the 16-day window starts off pretty grim. We’ve got a long, dry spell of nothing really worthwhile until we get into the second week. The water temp is sitting at 75°, which is 2° warmer than average for this time of year, so the water feels a touch on the balmy side – nice for a paddle, but you won’t be doing much of it for the first week.

For the first few days, from Saturday the 12th right through, it’s just a story of poor surf conditions. We’ve got a 6ft swell from the north on Saturday morning, but it’s paired with a moderate breeze making it cross-off, and the combined swell energy is moderate (492). The problem is the quality is just not there – it’s called “poor surf conditions” and that’s what it is. Sunday and Monday are no better, with small, weak swell and cross or cross-on winds. Tuesday sees the swell drop right out.

There’s a real gap here. Nothing worth paddling out for until we hit the 18th of September, a Friday. That morning we see a bump in the swell energy to 6ft from the north, and the combined energy jumps up to strong (828). The period is a solid 10 seconds, which is decent for a reef setup like Arrieta. The wind is a moderate cross-off from the NNW, so it’ll be clean. The problem is the forecast is just “marginal” and the score is low. It’s a tease, not a standout.

Then we get another wait. The next real highlight is on Monday the 21st of September. In the afternoon, the wind goes completely glassy, calm. The swell is tiny at 2ft, but here’s the kicker – it’s a very long period groundswell from the NNW at 16 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (378). For a sheltered reef like Arrieta that loves a northerly direction, this is the one to keep an eye on. It’s a long way out, so treat it as promising but not set in stone. But if it lines up, those clean, glassy conditions with a long-period pulse could make for some surprisingly fun, lined-up waves. Given the crowds are listed as “sometimes,” you might even have it mostly to yourself.

After that, the forecast turns back to poor again. Thursday the 24th and the weekend after that just show small, weak swell and moderate cross or cross-off winds. The energy drops off, and the swell size stays under 3ft for most of it. Nothing else is really worth mentioning.

So, if you’ve got the patience, the one standout is the afternoon of Monday the 21st. That long-period glassy session is the best on offer. The Friday the 18th is a second, less certain option, but it’s not as clean.

Rusty.

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