El Medano Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s coming up at El Medano. I gotta be straight with you—this stretch is a tough one. This spot rarely breaks at the best of times, and the next 16 days are mostly a case of watching, waiting, and hoping.

The story right now is a whole lot of onshore wind messing things up. For days and days, we’ve got a stiff breeze from the ENE smacking the waves, leaving them choppy and lumpy. Swell heights are tiny, just 1.0ft to 3ft, with short periods that just don’t have any push. The combined wave energy is in the doldrums, sitting at weak to moderate levels (395 down to just 32), and that tells you all you need to know—there's no power in the water. For a beginner beach and reef setup like this, it’s just not gonna be any fun.

There’s a little tease on Sunday the 23rd afternoon. The wind drops right off, turning glassy, and we get a tiny 2ft SSW swell with a 12-second period. That longer period gives it a bit more shape, and the clean conditions mean it’ll be rideable for a longboard or a foamie. The energy is weak (86), so you’ll be hunting for waves, but at least it’ll be pretty out there.

That little window closes fast. Monday the 24th is also glassy with the same tiny 2ft S swell, but again, it’s very ordinary. After that, the wind picks back up and we’re right back to messy, cross-onshore junk for the rest of the week and into the next. We even see some strong breezes hitting 28 mph, which is just horrible for surfing.

Now, there is one day that actually stands out as a real gamble. If you’re patient, mark Tuesday morning, the 1st of September. The wind goes glassy again, and we’ve got a 3ft SSW groundswell rolling in with a very long 15-second period. The combined energy jumps up to a solid 586, so there’s proper power in the water. The catch is that long period and a SSW direction means it might break a bit straight on this beach, but the clean conditions and that energy make it the absolute best on offer. If you’re keen, that’s your morning to be out there, but be aware it’s over a week away and forecasts can shuffle.

The rest of the 16-day run? More wind, more tiny chop, and swells that just don't align. Honestly, for a spot that rarely breaks and has this much wind, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing for most of it. The blank spells here are just part of the deal—when it’s off, it’s off.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on that first of September morning.

Rusty.

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