El Corniche Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, this is Rusty. Let's break down the next 16 days for El Corniche.

I've got to level with you – this is a rough run. The first week, from Friday July 31st through to Thursday August 6th, is practically flat. Surf heights are stuck between 2 ft and 4 ft, but the wind is a constant issue, blowing onshore or cross-onshore, just tearing the surface apart. The combined wave energy is weak, under 100 for most of it, and the swell period is short, around 5 to 8 seconds, so there's no power or decent shape. It's a total loss for a proper paddle. Water temp is about normal for this time of year, nothing special.

The only tiny bright spot in that first week is Saturday morning, August 1st. The swell drops to 3 ft from the NW, but the wind goes glassy. That's a huge positive. For a few hours you might get a clean, tiny wave, but it's still a long way from being good. This break rarely breaks as it is, so it's a real waiting game.

Then we get to Friday, August 7th. The swell jumps to 5 ft from the NW, and the combined energy hits a moderate 157. But the wind is cross-onshore from the WNW, so it's still a mess. The afternoon drops to 4 ft. It's not surfable.

The next few days, right through to Thursday, August 13th, are back to poor, tiny conditions. Waves are under 3 ft, energy is low, and the wind is a constant problem.

Now, look at the end of the window. Friday, August 14th, it gets interesting. We see a spike in swell: 6 ft from the NNW in the morning, with a combined energy of 259 (moderate), and then 7 ft from the NNW in the afternoon with a whopping 513 energy. That's a strong pulse. By Saturday, August 15th, the morning shows 7 ft from the NW at a 9-second period, with energy up to 645. That's a very strong swell. But the wind is onshore from the NW at 9-12 mph, which is a problem. At over 8 ft, this is expert-only territory, and the onshore wind will make it a bumpy, tough beast. It might be more interesting for the kite surfers than for paddle surfing given the strong onshore breeze and big, messy waves.

Honestly, this entire 16-day window is a near-total loss for quality surf at El Corniche. The spot is already inconsistent, and the conditions just don't line up. There's no standout session. The best we can hope for is that the glassy Saturday morning on the 1st gives you a clean little knee-high wave, or the big pulse on the 15th offers a few powerful, albeit wind-affected, sets for the experts. Don't get your hopes up.

Rusty.

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