El Arenal Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you: looking at the El Arenal stretch over the next 16 days, it’s a tough watch. The onshore and cross-shore wind is the main story here, and it’s gonna be a persistent problem.

Let’s start with Monday, August 3rd. There’s a bit of swell, 3ft from the ENE with a short period of 7 seconds, but it’s blowing 12 mph from the NE, cross-shore, and the water’s a mess. Not worth paddling for.

Tuesday the 4th, the morning session offers a slight glimmer. The wind drops to 9 mph from the E, turning cross-offshore, and the wave height is 4ft from the ENE. The combined energy is moderate at 203, and the conditions are described as clean. The water temp is about 74° with a normal anomaly, so no wetsuit needed. This is the best you’ll see for a while, but it’s still a marginal call. Swell period is a short 7 seconds, so don’t expect any real power or shape.

Wednesday the 5th through the rest of the first week is a write-off. The swell builds to 6ft on Wednesday, but the cross-shore wind from the NE (9-12 mph) and the cross-chop just ruin it. Thursday gives us 6ft from the NE, but again, that cross-shore wind messes it up. The combined energy climbs to 464 (moderate) on Thursday afternoon, but it’s a bumpy, frustrating mess.

The whole second week, from August 10th to the 18th, is a grind. The wind stays stubbornly cross-on or cross-shore from the North or NNE, 9-15 mph. The swell gets some size, hitting 6ft on Friday the 14th and even 8ft on Saturday the 15th, with combined energy peaking at 817 (moderate). But the wind is relentless. Saturday morning the 15th is the best of a bad bunch—8ft from the NE, 12 mph cross-shore wind, and the forecast says “marginal.” That’s about as good as it gets in this window. That swell is over 5ft, so it’s a bit too much for beginners, and the period is only 8 seconds, so it’s not a classic groundswell shape.

The last few days, the 17th and 18th, the swell drops back to 4-4ft, but the cross-on wind from the NNW and NNE keeps the surface choppy. There’s a 9-second period on the 18th, which is a touch better, but the wind is 15 mph, and it’s blown out.

Honestly, if you’re a kite surfer, this setup with the strong cross-shore or cross-on wind and decent swell might look interesting, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a long, frustrating forecast. The only real standout is Tuesday morning, August 4th, when the wind turns cross-offshore and the wave is 4ft from the ENE with clean conditions. It’s small, but it’s the cleanest you’ll get. Crowds are possible at El Arenal, so you might have some company, but it’s the only game in town.

Rusty.

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