El Medano Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with the long-range look for El Medano.

Let's be straight with you, this is a tough stretch. We're looking at a 16-day window starting now, and the first real window of opportunity doesn't show up until well into the second week. The opening days through to the 17th of September are all marked by poor surf conditions. The wind is a constant problem – it's almost always cross-onshore, from the ENE or NE, and it's often a fresh breeze that's just chopping everything up. The swell is there in small amounts, mostly short-period windswell from the NE, but it's all messy. You'll see days with wave energy numbers like 95 or 106 (moderate energy), but the quality is just not there. It's a long stretch of waiting.

For the first break we look at, the water temperature at El Medano is sitting at 76°F. That's about 1°F warmer than normal for this time of year, so just a touch warmer than average – nothing dramatic.

Now, the one bright spot, and it's a promising one, is the 18th of September. Friday morning and afternoon both see a noticeable jump in the combined energy, hitting 386 and 392 (strong wave energy). We're looking at a 4ft swell from the NNE, with a period of 8 to 9 seconds. That's a better, more organised swell. The wind is still cross-onshore, but it's a lighter breeze, so it's still a bit lumpy, but the extra energy makes it the best offer on the table by a long shot. This is the standout for the whole outlook. It's a bit of a wait, though, so keep an eye on it.

The 19th of September looks like it drops off again, back to weak, short-period south swells and the return of the fresh wind.

Remember, El Medano is a beach and reef setup, and it's rated for beginners, but it *rarely breaks*. For the whole 16-day period, there's only one day that looks like it might be worth a paddle. The rest is a write-off for surfing. The strong, consistent cross-onshore wind and the lack of quality swell mean this setup might actually be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing for most of that time.

So, hunker down, wait for that little pulse on the 18th, and hope the forecasts firm up.

Rusty.

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