El Medano Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, I’m looking at the 16-day run for the Canary Islands, and I’ve gotta be straight with you—it’s a rough stretch for paddle surfing. We’re talking about El Medano, a beach and reef setup that’s best known for its wind. And that’s the problem. For most of this forecast, the onshore breeze is relentless, making things lumpy, choppy, and just plain poor. The water temp is sitting at 73°, which is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

We start off with a long gap. The first few days? Forget it. From Saturday 18 July right through to the end of the month, it’s a write-off. The wind is hammering out of the NE and ENE, 12 to 25 mph, all cross-onshore. The swell is there—3 ft to 6 ft, mostly from the NE—but it’s short-period stuff, 6 to 8 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate (243 to 519). It doesn’t matter. The conditions are just too messy. The wave comment says it all: “poor surf conditions,” day after day. This is a blank run, and honestly, for an area this exposed to the trade winds, it’s not unusual.

Now, there is a tiny flicker of hope, but it’s more than a week away. On Tuesday 28 July, the afternoon session shows a shift. The wind drops to a glassy 3 mph from the east, and the swell is 6 ft from the NE with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 644 (moderate), and the wave comment says “expect good surf conditions.” That’s a standout. The swell direction is NE, which is cross-shore, but with glassy conditions, it’ll be clean. The break is rare to break and inconsistent, so you’ve got to be ready to jump on it when it happens. Crowds are possible here, so get there early.

The next morning, Wednesday 29 July, is also glassy, with a 5 ft NE swell at 8 seconds and energy of 324. It’s a smaller window, but still clean. The afternoon gets a bit cloudy and glassy, but the swell drops to 5 ft. After that, it’s back to the cross-onshore grind.

So, the best on offer is the glassy afternoons on 28 and 29 July. The 28th is the pick: 6 ft, glassy, and that 9-second period will give you some push. It’s not a classic groundswell, but in this stretch, it’s the only game in town. The rest of the 16 days? You’re better off checking the kite forecast.

Rusty.

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