El Corniche Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you—this 16-day stretch is a tough one. We’re looking at a long, flat spell to start, and when the swell finally shows up, the wind wants to ruin it. There’s really only one window that even gets close to worth paddling out, and even that’s a gamble.

The first real surf comes on Tuesday, the 18th of August, at El Corniche (Red Sea). The water’s sitting at 84°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year—a full couple of degrees above average, so you won’t need a bootie. But that’s where the good news ends. The morning starts with a tiny 3ft swell from the NNW, period of 7 seconds, and the energy is weak at just 81. Wind is cross-on but only 3 mph, so it’s almost glassy. It’s marginal at best. That’s the opener, and it’s not much.

From Wednesday the 19th through to the 27th of August, it’s basically dead. The swell drops to 1ft or less, with periods of 4 to 6 seconds—just wind slop. The energy readings are pathetic, single digits and low double digits. It’s clear skies but the winds are all over the place, mostly cross-on or onshore, and it’s just messy little waves with no push. There’s nothing surfable in this whole stretch. A full week of flatness, maybe a few ankle-biters that aren’t worth the wax.

Then things change, but not for the better. On Friday the 28th of August, the swell finally arrives—6ft from the NW with an 8-second period. The energy jumps to a strong 437, so there’s real power in the water. But here’s the catch—the wind is onshore, 9 mph in the morning, building to 12 mph in the afternoon. It’s a choppy, wind-blown mess. This spot, El Corniche, is exposed to the north, and it’s a beach break that rarely breaks properly. With this size and onshore wind, it’s going to be lumpy, sectiony, and a fight. Not the clean, grinding wave you’re hoping for. It’s really only interesting if you’ve got a kite—this is looking more like a kite session than a surf session.

The weekend gets worse. Saturday the 29th has 6ft to 6ft of NW swell, but the wind picks up to 19 mph in the afternoon, fresh and cross-on. Lumpy and bumpy. Sunday the 30th is similar, 6ft but onshore at 16 to 19 mph. That size, 6ft, is teetering on the edge of being too much for beginners anyway, but with that wind, it’s just a washing machine. Monday the 31st holds 6ft, but again 16 to 19 mph onshore winds. The energy is cranking at 459, but it’s all going to be blown out.

After that, it fades. By the 1st of September, the swell backs off to 4ft, and the wind is howling at 22 mph. It’s over. The 2nd of September is the same story—small, windy, and onshore.

So, the honest truth? There’s no standout day here. The only window with any real size is the 28th to the 31st of August, but the wind kills it. If you’re desperate, the Tuesday morning of the 18th is the cleanest, but you need a longboard and low expectations. This is a bleak run for El Corniche. It’s a spot that rarely breaks anyway, and when it does, the conditions have to be perfect. They’re not. Keep an eye on it, because forecasts can change, but right now I’d be doing something else.

Rusty, out.

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