El Corniche Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve been watching the charts for the next couple weeks, and I gotta tell ya – it’s gonna be a quiet one.

The first real chance you’ll have to get wet is Wednesday morning, the 22nd of July, at El Corniche. But don’t expect much. That swell is a weak 0.8m from the NW, with a short period of just 6 seconds, and the wind is blowing onshore at 20 km/h from the WNW. Not what you’re looking for – the combined swell energy is a paltry 47, and the forecast says poor surf conditions. The water temperature is 29°, which is 3° warmer than usual – that’s notable, but it doesn’t help the waves.

The rest of July doesn’t get much better. Each day brings onshore or cross-onshore winds, mostly from the NW or WNW at 20–25 km/h, and the swell stays small, between 0.6m and 1.1m, with periods mostly 6–8 seconds. The combined energy rarely climbs above 100, and when it does – like on Friday the 24th morning (268) and Saturday the 26th morning (428) – the wind is still onshore and the surf is rated poor. The afternoon of the 26th sees a bump to 2.2m from the NW with a 9-second period, and energy jumps to 743 – but that’s a lot of messy, onshore power. For a rare-breaking spot like El Corniche, that’s more of a washout. That size is for experts only, and with the wind straight on, it won’t be clean.

The 27th of July, Monday morning, offers a small glimmer: 1.4m NW swell, 7 seconds, but the wind switches to a light NE at 15 km/h, cross-offshore, and the water is clean. That’s probably the cleanest conditions in the whole run, but the swell is still short-period and the energy is only 199 – marginal. If you’re keen, that’s your window.

After that, the first week of August is a slow fade. The 28th through the 31st have a bit of life – the 31st morning shows 1.1m from the NW, 8-second period, light NW wind at 10 km/h, and energy of 141 – but it’s still only marginal. The rest of the days drop into the 0.3m to 1.0m range, with short periods of 5–7 seconds, and energy values often below 100. The winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the forecast keeps saying poor or marginal.

There’s a gap of about 11 days, from the 25th of July through to the 4th of August, where there’s really nothing worth paddling out for. The 5th and 6th of August are even smaller – 0.5m to 0.7m with periods of 5–6 seconds.

So, what’s the standout? Honestly, there isn’t one. The best of a bad bunch is the morning of Monday the 27th of July – clean conditions, a little bit of size, and the light cross-offshore breeze. If you know El Corniche, you might get a couple of fun ones. But it’s a rare-breaking spot, so don’t hold your breath.

Overall, this is a pretty blank run for the area. If you’re a kitesurfer, the afternoon of the 26th of July with that 2.2m onshore swell might be more interesting than for a paddle surfer. But for us wave riders, it’s a waiting game. Forecasts can change, but right now, keep your board in the car and your expectations low.

Rusty.

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