Biarritz - Cote des Basques Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu for the Bay of Biscay.

Right off the bat, we’re looking at a pretty quiet start. The next few days are small and weak, with a bit of a lull. The first real chance to get wet is going to be Sunday morning, August 23rd at Biarritz - Cote des Basques (France). It’s a beach and reef setup, pretty exposed to the west, and it’s a beginner-friendly spot. We’re only looking at a tiny 2ft swell from the NW with a short period of 7 seconds, so the energy is super low (62). The big plus? The wind is glassy from the SE. Zero wind. That’s a major positive for the water surface, but the waves themselves are just ordinary. The water temp is about average for this time of year. Not worth getting excited about.

From there, things get pretty grim. Monday through Wednesday morning next week are all poor surf conditions with tiny, weak swell. We’ve got a long gap of nothing good until the following week.

Now, let’s jump ahead to Friday, August 28th. The morning brings a bigger pulse of swell: 6ft from the WNW with a period of 10 seconds. The energy jumps up to moderate (599), but it’s onshore with a 15 km/h WSW wind. That’s a messy wind condition, and the wave comment says it’s marginal. Plus, the swell is big enough that it’s pushing into more challenging territory for beginners. The afternoon is worse with more wind. Not the day.

Saturday, August 29th is the big one for the experts. The morning shows a solid 8ft swell from the WNW with a period of 10 seconds. The energy is strong (1207). But it’s onshore with a 15 km/h W wind, which will chop it up. The wave comment is marginal. Over 8ft, this is only for experienced surfers. The afternoon drops a little but stays cross-onshore.

Sunday, August 30th is the standout. The morning is the best on offer. Clean, offshore wind from the ENE at just 5 km/h. The swell is 4ft from the NW with an 8-second period, so the energy is moderate (250). The wave comment says “expect good surf conditions.” This is the one. The wind is light offshore, which will make for clean, glassy faces. The size is right for a decent session. Keep in mind, Cote des Basques is often crowded, so expect company.

Looking further ahead, there’s a promising blip on Monday, September 7th. The morning looks clean with an offshore E wind at 10 km/h and a 4ft swell from the NW with a long 12-second period. The energy is moderate (452). That’s a groundswell, and the long period will give it some punch. The wave comment is good. But it’s over a week away, so treat it as a promising possibility, not a certainty.

The rest of the first week of September is a washout with tiny, weak swell and onshore winds. The period from the 31st through the 6th is mostly poor conditions.

So, to wrap it up: Sunday morning, August 30th is your best bet for a clean, fun session with that offshore wind. The Monday, September 7th morning looks like a solid long-range option for cleaner groundswell. The big Saturday swell is for the brave and experienced only.

Rusty out.

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