El Lloret Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me lay it out for you. The next two weeks at El Lloret are looking like a total drought for any decent surf. For the bulk of the forecast, from now right through to early in the third week, it’s a flat spell. There are long stretches, days on end, where you won't find a single wave worth paddling for. The swell is small, the period is short, and even with the wind blowing offshore, the waves just aren't there.

Let’s start from the beginning. Right now, Thursday the 3rd, it’s clean with a light offshore breeze from the north, but the swell is a weak 4ft from the NNE with a short, choppy period of just 7 seconds. The combined energy is only 225, which is weak. The water is a touch warmer than normal at 76°. But honestly, the waves are just poor. This same story plays out day after day. Friday the 4th, Saturday the 5th – the swell gets even smaller, the energy drops into the double digits, and the quality is non-existent. By Sunday the 6th, the swell bumps up a bit to 6ft, still from the NNE, and the energy climbs to 315, but it’s still short-period windswell and the conditions are still poor.

We see this same pattern through the entire first week and into the second. The north-northeast wind holds in, keeping conditions clean, but the swell is all short-period junk. On Tuesday the 8th, the swell hits 6ft and the energy hits a moderate 567, but the period is only 8 seconds. It’s still not holding together. Every single session is marked as “poor surf conditions”. It’s a total bust for a surfer.

Now, there is a tiny shred of hope way out at the end. On Wednesday the 16th of September, things look different. A new swell shows up from the NNW with a very long period of 17 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy jumps to a strong 549 in the morning and then 791 in the afternoon. That is a significant pulse of energy. The swell height is small, only 3ft to 4ft, but with that long period it should wrap into the reef and offer some clean lines. The wind is light and variable, coming from the east and then the north-northeast, so it won’t be glassy, but it will be rideable. The wave comment even bumps up to “marginal” with a score of 1 or 2 out of 10.

If I had to point to one standout window, it would be the afternoon of the 16th. It’s the only time in the whole 16 days where the ingredients start to come together. But keep in mind, this is a long-range call, so while it looks promising on paper, it’s less certain. The morning of the 17th then looks like the swell drops off and the wind picks back up offshore, but the period is still a solid 14 seconds, so there might be a few clean ones before the swell fades.

For the rest of the time, save your energy. The waves are not worth the drive. The water is about average temperature for this time of year, and the winds are solidly offshore, but you need more than just offshore wind. You need a wave to surf.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on that 16th.
Rusty

Read more