El Huaico Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s coming up for El Huaico over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a mixed bag. The swell is coming in from the South, but the wind is a persistent cross-onshore, and that’s keeping things from really firing. The water is running at 71°, which is a full 9° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, and it’s nice to not need a thick wetsuit.

The first week is pretty average. Through the first few days, we’re seeing swell around 3ft to 5ft, but the period is short, mostly 7 to 8 seconds, so the waves are a bit weak and crumbly. The combined swell energy is moderate, sitting around 430 to 564 (moderate), but it’s not enough to overcome the wind. Sunday the 2nd and Monday the 3rd are just marginal, and Tuesday the 4th is the same story. The wind is light, which is good, but it’s cross-on, so the surface is a little messy.

Wednesday the 5th starts to show a little promise. The swell picks up period to 13 seconds, and the combined energy climbs to 675 (moderate), and the wind switches to a straight cross-shore in the afternoon. That’s the best we’ll see for a few days, with clean 4ft waves coming from the SW. It’s not a standout, but it’s a window.

The real change comes on Monday the 10th of August. The swell jumps to 7ft, and the combined energy rockets to 1507 (strong). The wind is still cross-shore, but the period is a solid 10 seconds. This is a big step up in power, but at 7ft, it’s getting into the territory where it’s more for the experienced crew. The wave quality is still just marginal, though.

But the standout in this whole forecast is Tuesday the 11th of August. We’ve got a 8ft SSW swell with a very long period of 15 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 2127 (very strong). This is a proper groundswell. The wind is light, and variable, shifting from the WNW in the morning to a light cross-on by afternoon. That’s as good as it gets for El Huaico. The only caveat is that with a 15-second period, the waves will be powerful and prone to jacking up quickly. It’s a reef break, which handles that kind of energy well, but it’s definitely for experts only. This is the standout session.

After that, the swell eases back. Wednesday the 12th through Friday the 14th still have solid 6ft to 6ft S swell, with combined energy around 1000-1300 (strong), but the wind is a gentle cross-onshore, keeping the surface a bit choppy.

The final weekend, the 15th and 16th, drops back to 3ft to 5ft, with a nice cross-shore wind on the 15th. The 17th of August, the last day, sees another pulse of 6ft SW swell with a 16-second period, and combined energy of 1623 (strong), with a favorable cross-shore wind. That’s another promising one, but it’s far out, so less certain.

Overall, if you’re an expert, Tuesday the 11th is the one to circle. The rest of the window is a mix of marginal conditions and smaller swell. Don’t expect too much on the small days.

Rusty.

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