El Brusco Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. Look, I’ll be honest with you, the next 16 days at El Brusco are a bit of a tough one to write home about. The forecast is a long, drawn-out run of tiny, wind-affected waves that just don’t stack up for a good paddle. There’s a long stretch of days with next to nothing, and the only real glimmer of hope is tucked away at the very end of the second week. We’re looking at a big gap of poor conditions before we even get a sniff of something better.

The water’s sitting at 73°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick steamer.

Right, from the start of the forecast on Monday, 10 August, through to well into the third week, it’s a real struggle. You’ve got swell heights hanging around 1.0ft to 2ft, with periods mostly under 10 seconds. That’s basically windswell, not groundswell, and the combined energy is weak, sitting in the low two-digit range (68, 77, 62). The winds are a constant problem too – mostly cross-on or cross-shore, which just messes up what little bump there is. The first week is a total write-off.

We get a slight bump in size around Saturday, 15 August, with the swell pushing 3ft from the N, and the combined energy climbs to 132. But the period is a short 7 seconds, and the wind is a messy cross-on from the NW. It’s poor surf, guys. That’s just the way it is.

The second week doesn’t start much better. We’re stuck with 1ft to 2ft surf and onshore winds until we hit the 20th, where the energy gets a bit of a kick to 118 from the NW, but the conditions are still far from clean. The period is a long 12 seconds, so there’s a bit of groundswell there, but it’s messy.

Now, the real standout, the only one worth circling on your calendar, is on Monday, 24 August. The morning shows a solid 5ft swell from the NNW. The period is 10 seconds, and the combined energy is a strong 448. This is the biggest energy we’ve seen, and it’s a significant jump. The problem is the wind is a cross-shore from the W at 6 mph, but the forecast says it’s only “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” It’s not a clean, offshore day. For a spot that’s for advanced surfers, that 5ft is going to be a real handful, and it’s probably going to be a bit of a washing machine. I wouldn’t call it a standout for quality, just for size.

Then, into Tuesday, 25 August, we get a brief moment of glass. The morning has rain showers and the wind is completely calm, 0 mph. The swell is 3ft from the NNW with an 8-second period and energy of 168. It’s called “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” but with that glassy surface, it’ll be the cleanest wave of the whole 16 days, but it’s still small and short-period. That’s your best bet for a clean session, but don’t expect any power.

So, to sum it up: the first 15 days are a bust. The only two days that offer any kind of chance are the 24th for size and the 25th for clean conditions. Don’t get your hopes up for a classic session.

Rusty.

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