
Surf Forecasts:
El Balneario surf forecast from 6 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 7 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 15s period, WNW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 12s period, WNW swell with 111 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 15s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for El Balneario this week:
The surf forecast for El Balneario over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at El Balneario in the next 16 days are 0.6m 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 12) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (CEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 1ft (0.3m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 1ft (0.3m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for El Balneario over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.
Straight up, I’ve got to be honest with you – this is a grim stretch for El Balneario. We’re looking at a long, dry run with barely a ripple. The first real chance of anything surfable doesn’t come until Monday morning, 7th September, and even then, it’s pretty ordinary. The water is much colder than normal for this time of year, sitting at 69°F.
The standout – and I use that term loosely – is Tuesday morning, 8th September. It’s the only time the stars line up. You’ve got a 2ft swell from the WNW, with a period of 11 seconds, giving us a bit of shape. The magic here is the wind: it’s glassy, dead calm. That’s a major positive for clean conditions. The combined wave energy is moderate (93). It’s a beginner-friendly break, fairly consistent, and exposed to a WSW swell direction, which is close enough to what’s coming. There’s a chance of crowds, so keep an eye out. For a beginner spot, this is about as good as it gets this week.
Everything else? The rest of the first week is a bust. Monday afternoon (7th) drops off to a 1ft, 7-second windswell with poor conditions. By Wednesday (9th), the wind swings onshore and the quality dies. There’s a small window Thursday morning (10th) with a 3ft, 7-second swell from the west, but the energy is weak (57) and the waves are ordinary.
Then we hit a dry spell. From Friday, 11th September, through to Monday, 21st September, there’s effectively no surf. The combined energy readings are mostly zero or single digits. The wind is howling offshore – fresh to strong breeze all the way – which cleans the surface, but with no swell to push through, it’s just a flat, blown-out lake. Between 11th September and 21st September, that’s a solid 10-day gap with nothing to recommend. For a setup like this, a blank run is pretty normal when the swell windows don't line up.
If you’re desperate, keep an eye on the very end of the forecast. The data shows a tiny 0.3ft blip from the SW on Sunday, 20th September, but with a period of just 4 seconds and a fresh breeze, it’s barely a wave. Not worth getting the board wet for.
So, bottom line: if you’re a beginner, make the call for Tuesday morning, 8th September. That’s your one shot. The rest? It’s a waiting game. Forecasts can change, so don’t write it off completely, but right now, it’s looking pretty bleak.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Mon afternoon, min 22°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Thu afternoon, min 20°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed night, fresh winds from the E by Fri afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | |||||||||||||||
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) | W 14 | W 13 | W 17 | WNW 15 | WNW 7 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 6 | W 6 | W 5 | W 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | ENE 4 | W 7 | W 9 | W 7 | W 8 | W 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
4 | 3 | 6 | 71 | 9 | 111 | 93 | 83 | 31 | 66 | 41 | 20 | 57 | 11 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | off | off | off | glassy | on | on | on | on | on | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 11:45AM1.01m | 00:26AM1.04m | 1:03PM1.11m | 1:33AM1.14m | 1:59PM1.22m | 2:24AM1.24m | 2:45PM1.33m | 3:08AM1.32m | 3:25PM1.40m | 3:47AM1.37m | 4:02PM1.43m | 4:23AM1.38m | 4:38PM1.43m | 4:57AM1.36m | |||||||
Low Tide | 6:07PM0.38m | 6:45AM0.33m | 7:20PM0.27m | 7:45AM0.22m | 8:14PM0.16m | 8:33AM0.13m | 8:58PM0.06m | 9:14AM0.05m | 9:38PM0.00m | 9:52AM0.01m | 10:15PM-0.02m | 10:28AM0.01m | 10:50PM-0.01m | ||||||||
7:56 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:02 | — | — | |
— | 8:43 | — | — | 8:42 | — | — | 8:39 | — | — | 8:38 | — | — | 8:37 | — | — | 8:36 | — | — | 8:35 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 24 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 22 |
Feels °C | 22 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 28 | 27 | 24 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 15 | WNW 13 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | — | W 9 | W 5 | W 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | W 10 |
8 | 8 | 8 | 71 | 69 | 111 | 93 | 83 | 31 | — | 2 | 20 | 57 | 11 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 14 | W 13 | W 17 | WNW 9 | WNW 7 | WNW 9 | E 5 | E 5 | — | — | — | W 8 | — | WNW 8 | — | — | — | W 9 | — | — | — |
4 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 9 | 15 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | 5 | — | 11 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | WNW 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 4 | E 4 | E 4 | E 5 | E 3 | E 3 | — | — | W 4 | WNW 6 | W 6 | — | ENE 2 | ENE 4 | E 3 | ENE 4 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 6 | E 5 |
21 | 37 | 13 | 9 | 5 | 2 | — | — | 9 | 66 | 41 | — | 1 | 31 | 8 | 25 | 51 | 81 | 129 | 152 | 85 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 100 | 100 | 787 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 219 | 36 | 261 | 181 | 186 | 0 | 40 | 316 | 149 | 149 | 321 | 94 | 100 | 302 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Andalucia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Spain (Europe) | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the El Balneario Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for El Balneario provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at El Balneario can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our El Balneario 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 Balneario) 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 Balneario 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 Balneario is 1 km (1 miles) from the city of Tarifa. If you plan a holiday in Andalucia, look for hotels and other accommodation in Tarifa. Tarifa has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










