El Medano Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and listen up. It’s Rusty here, and I gotta tell you straight: El Medano is looking like a flat spell for the foreseeable future. Don't get your hopes up for any proper rides.

We’re starting from August 28th, and there’s nothing but poor surf conditions for over a week. The swell is a total no-show most days, and when there’s a tiny pulse, the wind is just wrecking it. The first record is Friday morning, August 28th, but you’d be wasting your time with a meagre 4ft swell from the NE, hitting that beach and reef setup at such a short period of just 5 seconds, with a fresh 19 mph cross-shore wind. The combined energy is weak at just 87. Don't even think about it.

This rough run continues day after day. The wind is either a strong cross-onshore or a fresh breeze, just making everything lumpy and choppy. There's a little more energy in the water from August 31st onward, with a long period 17-second SSW swell pushing the combined energy into the moderate range (343-642), but it’s all useless because the wind is constantly onshore and messy. For those bigger days, the swell is just over 3ft, so not dangerous, but the quality is terrible.

You get a tiny reprieve on Saturday afternoon, September 5th, but it’s barely worth mentioning. The swell drops right off to 2ft from the NNE with a short period. The wind goes glassy, so the surface is clean, but the waves are poor. The score is a 1 out of 10 kind of day—surfable but very ordinary. The next morning, Sunday September 6th, is similar with a weak 2ft NE swell and glassy conditions, but again, it’s just not doing anything. The combined energy is a measly 81.

After that, we’re looking at another long dry spell. From Monday afternoon, September 7th, right through to the end of the forecast on September 12th, every session shows either poor surf conditions or tiny waves with weak energy. There’s a few moments with clean, cross-off winds on September 8th and 9th, but the swell is only 0.7ft to 1ft—completely flat.

The water temperature is about average for the time of year at this spot. But honestly, for the whole 16-day window, there are zero standout options. El Medano rarely breaks anyway, and this blank run is pretty normal for the area. If you see some wind, the beach and reef setup might be more interesting for a kite session than for paddle surfing. Don't hold your breath on the forecasts changing anytime soon.

Rusty, signing out.

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