El Medano Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me tell you how it is for El Medano over the next couple of weeks. Honestly, it’s a rough start.

We’ve got a real dry spell on our hands. For the first week and a half, from Friday the 24th of July right through to the morning of Sunday the 2nd of August, it’s just not happening. The wind is relentless, hammering in from the northeast, cross-onshore and strong, just wrecking any chance of a clean wave. Swell is coming in from the NE, but it’s short-period junk, mostly in the 6 to 9 second range, and the energy is just getting blown apart. The combined swell energy is middling at best, sitting around 219 (moderate) on the Friday morning, but it’s all lumpy, choppy, and messy. You’re better off staying home.

There’s a real gap there of about 9 days with nothing to recommend. The swell does get a little bigger, up to 7 ft on the 25th, but with a 28 mph cross-onshore wind, it’s just a washing machine. For a beginner spot that rarely breaks, this is a total write-off. The water temp is about average for the time of year, no major anomaly to speak of, so don’t expect any weird currents or thermals to save you.

Now, things start to look up on the morning of Sunday the 2nd of August. A shift in the wind, finally. We get a light SW breeze, coming cross-offshore, and the conditions turn clean. The swell is still small, 5 ft from the NE, but with a period of 6 seconds, it’s not got much grunt. The combined energy is 182 (moderate), nothing to write home about, but it’s surfable. That afternoon, the wind goes glassy, and the waves drop to 4 ft, but it’s clean and ordinary. For a break that rarely breaks, this is a window.

The best of the whole run, the true standout, is on Thursday the 6th of August. The morning brings a flat calm, zero wind, and glassy conditions. We’ve got 4 ft of swell from the NNE with a 6-second period, and the combined energy is 167 (moderate). It’s not big, but it’s clean. The swell direction is NE, and the optimum swell for El Medano is SSW, so it’s not a perfect match, but the glassy conditions will make it rideable. The break is a beach and reef setup, so with the small, short-period swell, it’ll be a bit weak, but on a clean day, it’s worth a paddle. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.

The following Saturday morning, the 8th of August, we get a little more size, 6 ft from the NNE, with a clean cross-offshore wind from the west. The combined energy jumps to 363 (moderate to strong), and the conditions are clean. This is the other highlight. The swell is a bit bigger, but at 6 ft, it’s still fine for most. With a 6-second period, it’s going to be a bit fat and soft, but the clean wind will make it look better than it is.

But honestly, the week of the 2nd to the 8th of August is your only real window. The rest of the run is a bust. The wind just doesn’t cooperate. If you’re a kitesurfer, the earlier strong cross-onshore days might be your jam, but for paddle surfing, it’s a long wait for a few ok sessions.

Rusty.

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