El Brusco Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a chat about El Brusco.

Well, this is a tough one to call. I’ve looked at the whole 16-day window and the honest truth is there isn’t a single moment where it’s pumping. In fact, most of it is pretty poor. The waves are barely there, and when we do get a little bump, the wind tends to mess it up. Let’s break it down.

The water’s sitting at 73°F, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year – about 3°F above average, so it’s a bit balmy.

Looking at the best of a bad bunch, the only time the conditions line up even a little is on Thursday, July 30th. The afternoon sees a NW swell of about 2ft with a light N breeze, so the wind is offshore. The swell is short-period at 9 seconds, so it’s small and a bit weak (wave energy is only 62), but for an advanced spot like El Brusco, that clean surface might give you a couple of rides. Don't expect much, though.

After that, it’s a long, dreary stretch. From Friday, July 31st all the way through to Tuesday afternoon, August 11th, the forecast is littered with “poor surf conditions.” The swells are tiny—mostly 0.7ft to 2ft—and they come from varying directions like NNW or WNW. The periods are often short, between 4 to 11 seconds. The winds are usually cross-onshore or cross-shore, so it's going to be choppy and messy.

There’s a slight bump in size on Tuesday afternoon, August 11th and Wednesday morning, August 12th, where the swell pushes up to 3ft from the NW and N directions. The combined energy is 54 and 42 respectively—still weak. But the winds are cross-onshore from the WNW and NW at 6-9 mph, so it’ll be a bumpy, rough surface. Not worth getting the car loaded for.

The whole second week is a write-off, to be honest. It’s the same story: tiny swell, wrong wind. This run of flatness is just what happens around here sometimes. It won't stay like this forever—forecasts can change—but for now, the boards stay in the shed.

If you’re an advanced surfer and you’re desperate, you might paddle out on Thursday July 30th for a few glassy little waves, but keep the expectations low. The rest is a no-go.

Rusty.

Read more