El Balneario Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright mate, Rusty here. Let's have a proper look at what's on the cards for us.

Honestly, I've got to level with you straight up – this 16-day stretch is a tough one. We're looking at a real flat spell, with only small, weak pulses of swell trying to make their presence felt. For most of the period, the conditions are just not cooperating. The wind swings onshore for long stretches, and even when it's offshore, the wave heights are barely a ripple.

The first surf we can even talk about comes Wednesday afternoon, the 12th of August, at El Balneario. It's tiny, just 1 ft of swell from the WNW with a weak combined energy of only 30, so it's not going to get anyone excited. The water is sitting at 71°F, which is a bit colder than we'd normally expect for this time of year – the anomaly is -3°F. Still, the wind is offshore from the east at 12 mph, keeping things clean. But it's poor surf conditions.

We then see a slight lift on Thursday the 13th and Friday the 14th. The swell nudges up to 2 ft from the west, with a period of 9 seconds and combined energy around 40-44. The wind stays offshore from the east, gentle to moderate breeze. It's surfable, but very ordinary – that's the honest truth. By Friday afternoon it drops back to poor.

Then comes the real bummer. From Saturday the 15th right through to the end of the second week, the wind swings onshore from the west and southwest. The swell tries to push a little higher – we see 3 ft on Sunday morning the 16th, and later up to 3 ft on Wednesday the 26th of August and Thursday the 27th – but the wind is just wrecking it. The combined energy stays weak, barely scratching 86 at its best. On Sunday the 16th afternoon we get a brief moment of glassy conditions, but the swell is only 2 ft with a short 7-second period and a combined energy of just 37. It's still poor.

For the rest of the run, it's a whole lot of onshore wind, cross-onshore chop, and tiny waves. There's one day, Thursday the 27th afternoon, where the wind finally turns offshore again from the east at 9 mph, but by then the swell is completely gone – zero energy. A blank run like this is pretty normal for the area, so don't be too surprised. Keep an eye on the forecasts, things can turn around.

Rusty.

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