Surf Forecasts:
El Brusco surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 12s period, NW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 21 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 11s period, NW swell with 551 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 12s period with NW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for El Brusco this week:
The surf forecast for El Brusco over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at El Brusco in the next 16 days are 1.6m 11s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 2s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for El Brusco over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s just get this one straight off the bat: the next couple of weeks are a mixed bag for El Brusco. We’ve got some serious patience required, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The water is sitting at about 75°, which is a good 4° warmer than usual for this time of year – feels like a summer bath out there.
Right now, we’re looking at tiny, weak dribble. Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th are basically flat with poor conditions – expect knee-high slop at best with cross-onshore breezes mucking things up. The swell energy is just pathetic (25 and 9).
We get a bit of a pulse on Thursday the 20th morning with a 4ft NW swell pushing in. The energy jumps to 303, which is moderate, but the wind is cross-on and it’s described as marginal. A bit sick-making, but not worth getting wet for. Things stay mediocre right through the weekend, with rain and choppy onshores. There’s a solid 5ft swell on Friday the 21st, but the wind is all wrong, making it a mess. The energy here is 538, but it’s wasted.
We hit a real dead zone from the 22nd through the 25th. Small, weak swells, mostly under 3ft, and the energy drops back into two-digit numbers. It’s a proper lull.
Then, Thursday the 27th morning is our one true standout. Mark it on the calendar. We’ve got a clean 6ft NW swell rolling in, with a nice 10-second period. The wind is glassy – dead calm – which is going to make for some absolutely pristine, clean conditions at El Brusco. The energy is strong at 665. This is a proper groundswell, so keep in mind it might wall up and break a bit straight at the beach, but for an advanced crew, this will be excellent. It’s going to be punchy and powerful – not for beginners, that’s for sure.
After that peak, Friday the 28th morning is still surfable, with a glassy 4ft swell (energy 221), but it’s pretty ordinary. We get a few more marginal days into the start of September, but nothing that really gets the heart pumping. The very end of the run, around the 2nd of September, shows another moderate energy pulse (389) of 5ft NW swell, but the wind is cross-on again, spoiling the party.
Overall, the only blue-ribbon session is the morning of the 27th. The rest of the fortnight is mostly small, choppy, or windy. Hang tight for that glassy Thursday, or don't bother paddling out.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 23°C on Tue afternoon, min 18°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 46mm), heaviest during Sat afternoon. Warm (max 20°C on Fri afternoon, min 16°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | ||||||||||||||
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) | NNW 8 | NW 6 | NNW 6 | NW 11 | NW 12 | NW 11 | NW 10 | NW 11 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
24 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 178 | 303 | 298 | 467 | 538 | 500 | 356 | 206 | 148 | 171 | 93 | 96 | 81 | 54 | 34 | 28 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:14PM3.18m | 9:35AM3.01m | 9:58PM2.87m | 10:23AM2.78m | 10:57PM2.60m | 11:33AM2.61m | 00:26AM2.46m | 1:10PM2.57m | 2:03AM2.51m | 2:31PM2.71m | 3:07AM2.68m | 3:25PM2.94m | 3:51AM2.90m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:59PM0.66m | 3:22AM0.82m | 3:45PM0.94m | 4:08AM1.11m | 4:41PM1.20m | 5:09AM1.34m | 5:59PM1.37m | 6:33AM1.45m | 7:29PM1.37m | 7:57AM1.37m | 8:42PM1.21m | 8:59AM1.18m | 9:33PM0.98m | |||||||
— | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | |
— | 9:13 | — | — | 9:10 | — | — | 9:09 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:05 | — | — | 9:02 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 18 | 8 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 |
Feels °C | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 8 | NW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 5 | NW 12 | NW 11 | NW 10 | NW 11 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 |
24 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 178 | 303 | 298 | 467 | 538 | 500 | 356 | 206 | 148 | 171 | 93 | 96 | 81 | 54 | 34 | 28 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 5 | NW 8 | NW 11 | NW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 9 |
— | 4 | 2 | 4 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NW 8 | N 7 | NW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 2 |
1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 457 | 471 | 340 | 457 | 0 | 7 | 46 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 16 | 470 | 2 | 163 | 46 | 150 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Spain - Cantabria | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Spain (Europe) | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the El Brusco Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for El Brusco provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at El Brusco can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our El Brusco 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 Brusco) 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 Brusco 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 Brusco is 24 km (15 miles) from the city of Castro-Urdiales. If you plan a holiday in Spain - Cantabria, look for hotels and other accommodation in Castro-Urdiales. Castro-Urdiales has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











