El Medano Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the El Medano region. I’ve gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are a tough slog for a surfer. The forecast is thin and the wind is working against us most of the time. It’s one of those periods where you have to be patient and pick your moment.

We kick off with a brief window that’s just about worth a paddle. On Sunday the 23rd of August, the morning is looking like the best we’ll see for a while. It’s glassy – dead flat wind from the east at 3 mph – and that’s a major positive. You’ll find tiny 2 ft waves from the SSW with a 12-second period, so it’s clean but small. The combined energy is weak at 113, so don’t expect much push. This is a beach and reef setup that rarely breaks, so the fact it’s even showing is notable. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, and with the glassy conditions, it’s your best shot this whole stretch. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no drama there.

From Sunday afternoon onward, things go downhill fast. The wind swings onshore and stays there, picking up through the week. Monday the 24th through to Thursday the 28th of August is a write-off – constant cross-onshore winds, small weak swell, and the wave comment is “poor surf conditions” every session. The swell never gets above 2 ft for that whole run, and the energy is pitiful. It’s not worth your time.

Then we get a bit of a spike in size from Friday the 28th of August into the weekend, but don’t get excited. The swell bumps up to 4 ft to 5 ft, but it’s short-period windswell from the NE at only 6-8 seconds, and the wind is howling cross-onshore at 16-22 mph. The combined energy climbs into the moderate range (137 to 531), but it’s messy, lumpy, and choppy. The wave comment stays “poor surf conditions.” Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The size is too much for beginners at over 5 ft, but with that wind, even experts will struggle to find anything rideable.

That rough pattern drags through the end of August and into the first days of September. We finally see a glimmer on Tuesday the 1st of September morning. The swell drops back to 4 ft from the SSW, with a long 16-second period, and the wind is lighter at 6 mph from the ENE. The combined energy is strong at 701, and the wave comment shifts to “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions” – the best we’ll see all outlook. It’s still cross-onshore, so not perfect, but that long-period groundswell will bring some real shape and power. The downside: it’s still onshore, so it won’t be clean. It’s the closest thing to a standout, but it’s a long way off and the confidence is low.

After that, the pattern returns to onshore wind and poor conditions right through to Monday the 7th of September. There’s a brief moment on Thursday the 3rd of September morning with 5 ft from the NNE, but the period is a short 8 seconds and the wind is cross-onshore. It’s not worth the drive.

So here’s the bottom line: if you want the cleanest surf of the forecast, you’ve got to be on it Sunday the 23rd of August morning. After that, the window closes hard. Tuesday the 1st of September morning has potential, but it’s far out and the wind is a gamble. Otherwise, it’s a long stretch of poor conditions. The break rarely offers good waves, so a blank run like this isn’t unusual for the area.

Stay patient, keep an eye on the wind, and I’ll see you in the water.

Rusty.

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