Surf Forecasts:
El Gringo surf forecast from 12 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 12 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 13s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 12 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 16s period, SSW swell with 1,324 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 12 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 13s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for El Gringo this week:
The surf forecast for El Gringo over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 12) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 18s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at El Gringo in the next 16 days are 1.7m 16s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 12) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (-04) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Sun 12th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Sun 12th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Sun 12th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for El Gringo over the next 16 days.
Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead, and it’s pretty much all about one spot: El Gringo. This reef setup is a real standout, handling the consistent SW swell perfectly. The water is sitting at 64°, which is bang on average for this time of year – no surprises there.
Let’s kick things off this Sunday, the 12th. The morning is the clear winner. We’re looking at a clean 5ft SSW swell at a long 13 seconds, with glassy conditions and light offshore wind. The wave energy is pumping at 1110, so you’ll feel the power. This is prime for experienced surfers. The afternoon stays clean but the wind shifts onshore, so the morning is the call.
Monday the 13th is a bit of a mixed bag. The morning is marginal, but the afternoon turns it on. Glassy conditions return with a 5ft SSW swell, still at a solid 14-second period. It’s a good session, but not the standout.
We’ve got a bit of a lull in the middle of the week. Tuesday the 14th and Wednesday the 15th are mostly marginal, though Wednesday afternoon cleans up nicely with glassy conditions on a 6ft SW swell. From Thursday the 16th through to Monday the 20th, it’s a mix of glassy mornings and onshore afternoons, with swell sizes hanging around 4ft to 5ft. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.
Now, here’s the one you’ve been waiting for. The real standout is Tuesday the 21st of July. The morning session is absolutely firing. We’re talking a solid 8ft SW swell, 12-second period, and glassy conditions. The wave energy is a massive 1923 – that’s some serious power. This is strictly for the experts; it’s big and it’s powerful. If you’ve got the skills, this is the best on offer in the whole window.
After that, things settle down again. Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd are back to smaller, more marginal conditions. But then, Friday the 24th morning delivers another excellent call. A clean 5ft SW swell at 11 seconds, with glassy conditions and wave energy of 1118. A beauty of a session for the experienced crew.
The final weekend, the 26th, has a nice glassy afternoon session on a 6ft SW swell, and Monday the 27th finishes with a smaller, clean 3ft swell. Overall, you’ve got two clear standouts: the morning of the 21st for the big-wave hunters, and the morning of the 24th for a slightly smaller but still excellent session.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Tue afternoon, min 15°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Fri afternoon, min 17°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 824 | 669 | 1241 | 930 | 854 | 615 | 580 | 631 | 722 | 954 | 854 | 1006 | 891 | 803 | 597 | 407 | 298 | 321 | 453 | 488 | 357 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | on | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy |
High Tide | 7:17PM0.70m | 7:59AM1.37m | 8:17PM0.72m | 8:50AM1.42m | 9:12PM0.75m | 9:40AM1.44m | 10:05PM0.78m | 10:28AM1.41m | 10:58PM0.81m | 11:15AM1.35m | 11:51PM0.84m | 12:01PM1.25m | 00:45AM0.87m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:01PM0.25m | 00:54AM0.14m | 2:56PM0.18m | 1:50AM0.11m | 3:46PM0.13m | 2:44AM0.10m | 4:33PM0.10m | 3:38AM0.10m | 5:18PM0.09m | 4:31AM0.14m | 6:02PM0.10m | 5:26AM0.20m | 6:46PM0.13m | ||||||||
 | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — |
 | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:22 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 18 |
Feels °C | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SW 16 | SSW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 |
| kJ | 824 | 669 | 1241 | 930 | 854 | 615 | 580 | 476 | 722 | 954 | 854 | 1006 | 891 | 803 | 597 | 407 | 298 | 321 | 453 | 488 | 341 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 8 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | SW 15 | SSW 13 | W 13 | SSW 6 | W 13 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | W 10 | SSW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 |
| kJ | 240 | 390 | 55 | 33 | 18 | 465 | 325 | 631 | 249 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 35 | 80 | 105 | 196 | 268 | 357 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | W 14 | SW 24 | SW 21 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | WSW 9 | SSW 7 | — | W 13 | — | — | W 12 | W 12 | W 9 | WSW 9 | W 16 | SSW 12 | WSW 15 | WSW 13 |
| kJ | 46 | 44 | 4 | 22 | 117 | 87 | 172 | 16 | 9 | — | 3 | — | — | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 14 | 42 | 225 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 194 | 0 | 194 | 0 | 0 | 194 | 79 | 0 | 194 | 0 | 0 | 143 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Atacama | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Chile | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the El Gringo Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for El Gringo provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at El Gringo can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our El Gringo 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 Gringo) 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 Gringo 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 Gringo is 5 km (3 miles) from the city of Arica. If you plan a holiday in Atacama, look for hotels and other accommodation in Arica. Arica has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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