Surf Forecasts:
El Anclote surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 17s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 28 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 17s period, SW swell with 137 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 13s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for El Anclote this week:
The surf forecast for El Anclote over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 16s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at El Anclote in the next 16 days are 0.5m 17s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 4s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Fri 21st Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Fri 28th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Fri 28th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for El Anclote over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's get straight into it. Looking at the charts for our stretch of coast, the next couple of weeks are going to test your patience. We've got a long stretch of small, weak surf ahead, and it’s not until we get well into the first week of September that things start to look a bit more worthy of a paddle out.
The first real window where you might want to grab a board is on Sunday, the 23rd of August. It’s not going to be anything special, but there’s a tiny bit of life in the water. El Anclote (a reef break) will have some tiny 1.3ft waves, but it’s a clean-ish morning with light winds. The swell energy is weak at 129, so it’s more about getting a feel for it than scoring barrels. We are in for a long stretch of tiny surf from here. Most days are just too small to even bother with, a real flat spell.
The water is notably warm for this time of year, running about 4° warmer than usual, so you won't need a thick suit.
As we move into the final days of August and the start of September, the swell stays pretty anemic. There are glimmers of slightly better conditions – like the afternoon of Thursday the 27th, where a touch of offshore NW wind at 12 mph cleans up some small 2ft waves. The energy picks up a little to 202, but it's still not going to be a day to call in sick for.
The real turning point looks like it arrives on Thursday, the 3rd of September. This is the standout of the whole period. The swell is still small, around 2ft, but the energy jumps significantly to a moderate 295. The wind is light and offshore from the WNW, which is exactly what you want on this reef to keep it clean. This is the one day that looks promising, a real chance for a fun, glassy session on the points. Don't get too excited about the days after, as they look to fall apart again with stronger onshore winds.
So, for the next two weeks, be patient. The first week is mostly a write-off. The promising window is the 3rd of September, but even then, it's small. If it's too small for your taste, this might be a good time to service your gear or find a lake to paddle on. There's no big swell on the horizon, just that one tidy day worth chasing.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 30°C on Fri afternoon, min 26°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 30°C on Mon afternoon, min 26°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SSW 16 | SW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WSW 11 | SW 15 | SW 14 | W 12 | W 11 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 44 | 44 | 51 | 97 | 44 | 75 | 66 | 56 | 81 | 47 | 69 | 98 | 80 | 80 | 89 | 87 | 85 | 67 | 74 | 98 | 86 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | on | cross | cross | on | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:52AM1.11m | 9:41AM1.10m | 5:49PM1.14m | 9:09AM1.12m | 6:45PM1.24m | 9:03AM1.16m | 7:24PM1.34m | 9:10AM1.21m | 7:58PM1.42m | 9:22AM1.26m | 8:30PM1.48m | 9:36AM1.31m | 9:01PM1.51m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:22AM0.43m | 1:35PM1.01m | 1:47AM0.33m | 1:42PM0.93m | 2:09AM0.24m | 1:56PM0.84m | 2:30AM0.18m | 2:16PM0.75m | 2:52AM0.14m | 2:39PM0.66m | 3:13AM0.14m | 3:05PM0.56m | |||||||||
 |  |  | | |  | |  | | | | | | |  | | | | | | | |
 | 6:41 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — |
 | — | 7:27 | — | — | 7:25 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:23 | — | — | 7:23 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — |
mm | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | 13 | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 |
Feels °C | 34 | 34 | 36 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 34 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 33 | 30 | 32 | 33 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SSW 16 | SW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 10 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | W 12 | W 11 |
| kJ | 44 | 44 | 51 | 97 | 44 | 75 | 66 | 56 | 33 | 33 | 69 | 52 | 80 | 80 | 67 | 50 | 85 | 67 | 32 | 98 | 86 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | NW 9 | SSW 18 | SW 20 | WNW 5 | SSW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 12 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
| kJ | 26 | 3 | 31 | 15 | 3 | 37 | 49 | 50 | 81 | 47 | 38 | 98 | 67 | 65 | 89 | 87 | 57 | 54 | 74 | 73 | 64 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 13 | NW 13 | NW 13 | SSW 16 | W 5 | WNW 12 | NW 12 | NW 4 | SSW 8 | SW 8 | NW 4 | WNW 5 | SSW 11 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | SSW 18 | WSW 11 | SSW 18 | NW 4 |
| kJ | 2 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 25 | 2 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 32 | 25 | 31 | 2 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 6 | — | — | NW 4 | — | — | WNW 5 | — | — | — | NNW 5 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 284 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Nayarit | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Mexico | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the El Anclote Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for El Anclote provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at El Anclote can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our El Anclote surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (El Anclote) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for El Anclote may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
El Anclote is 34 km (21 miles) from Puerto Vallarta. If you plan a holiday in Nayarit, look for hotels and other accommodation in Puerto Vallarta. Puerto Vallarta has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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