Cabarete Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for our little slice of paradise.

Straight up, I gotta be honest with you – it’s a grim stretch ahead. We’re looking at a solid 16-day window with absolutely nothing worth paddling out for. The whole forecast is plagued by a persistent cross-onshore wind from the east, blowing at 15 to 19 mph most days, and cranking up to 22 or even 25 mph at times. This keeps the surface chopped up and lumpy from morning to afternoon. The swell is there, but it’s short-period, weak, and messy. There’s no standout, no hidden gem, no sneaky session to get excited about.

Let’s break it down. Right from the start, Friday the 7th of August, we’ve got a 4ft to 4ft ENE swell with a period of just 8 seconds. The combined energy is moderate, around 197 to 228, but it’s all blown out by that cross-onshore wind. Water temp is a warm 84°F, which is about average for this time of year, but you won’t be enjoying it in these conditions. This poor surf pattern locks in for the entire first week. Sizes hover between 3ft and 5ft, period drops to 7 seconds, and the wind never lets up. The energy climbs a bit into the second week – by Friday the 14th, we’re seeing 5ft to 6ft swell from the east with an 8-second period, and energy hits 297 to 356, but it’s still cross-onshore and lumpy. The weekend of the 15th and 16th is similar, 5ft to 6ft, but the wind is relentless.

The biggest pulse of the forecast hits around Tuesday the 18th of August, with swell building to 6ft to 7ft from the east, a 9-second period, and combined energy shooting up to 558 to 611 – that’s strong energy. But here’s the kicker: the wind is still cross-onshore at 15 to 19 mph, and conditions are described as “poor surf conditions.” For a spot like Cabarete (Dominican Republic), a reef break that’s consistent and exposed to the swell, this is a total write-off. The optimum swell direction is from the NE, and we’re getting east and ENE, which is off, and the wind is just murdering any chance of a clean wave. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, to be honest.

The last few days fade out into tiny, weak surf. By the 22nd of August, we’re down to 2ft to 3ft with a 5-second period and energy dropping to 65 to 74 – that’s weak. There’s just nothing here. This is one of those blank runs where the area just isn’t cooperating. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d leave the boards in the car and find something else to do.

Rusty.

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