El Medano Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer in the local waters.

Right now, and for the rest of the month, it’s a real struggle. El Medano is a beach and reef setup that *rarely breaks*, and you can see why over these next days. We’re looking at a stretch of poor to very ordinary conditions starting Monday the 24th of August and running for nearly two full weeks. The wind is mostly a cross-onshore breeze, gusty, and messy, ruining whatever little swell there is. The wave energy early on is weak, around 77 (moderate energy), but it’s paired with horrible wind and tiny 2ft to 1ft swell with a short period. Not worth paddling out for.

Through the end of August and into the first days of September, the swell bumps up a little, but it’s still plagued by cross-onshore winds and energy values climbing into the hundreds – moderate at best. The surf remains poor. By the 3rd of September, we see a bigger pulse with combined energy hitting 1054 (strong), but again, the wind is cranking 15 to 25 mph from the NE, making it messy and lumpy. Not a single standout in this whole run until early September the 7th.

Here’s the thing though – Monday morning the 7th of September is still poor, but Monday afternoon the 7th of September gives us a glimmer. The wind drops to a glassy 5 mph from the ESE. Swell is tiny, only 2ft from the NE with a period of 10 seconds, and the energy is weak at 71, but it’s *glassy*. You might score a few ordinary, small waves if you’re desperate, but it’s nothing to get excited about.

The real promise, if you can call it that, comes Tuesday the 8th of September. Glassy conditions again – 3 mph E wind – but the swell is dropping to just 1ft from the NE at 9 seconds, combined energy at a measly 34 (weak). It’s tiny, clean, and about as small as it gets.

Honestly, for the entire 16-day window, there is not one good, solid, quality surf day. The break rarely works as it is, and the wind is nearly always onshore and strong. If you’re a kite surfer, the afternoons with strong cross-onshore winds and moderate swell from the 2nd of September onward might look interesting – but for a paddle surfer, it’s a long, quiet spell. Forecasts can change, and it tends not to stay this poor forever, but for now, I’d park the board.

Rusty.

Read more