El Medano Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty here, and I’ve got to be straight with you – for the next couple of weeks, El Medano is looking like a tough nut to crack. We’ve got a long stretch of scrappy, onshore slop with hardly a window for a decent paddle. But hold on, there is a little light at the end of the tunnel.

Right now, and for the next week and a half, it’s a write-off. The wind is hammering out of the NE and ENE, staying cross-onshore day after day. The swell is small, bouncing between 2ft and 5ft, and the period is a short, choppy 5 to 7 seconds – that’s pure wind-slop, not groundswell. The combined energy is weak too, mostly in the double digits (95 to 203) which tells you there’s no power in the water. The water temp is sitting at 74°F, which is about average for this time of year, so at least a dip won’t be a shock. But honestly, for paddle surfing, it’s a no-go. If you’re into kiting, that consistent cross-onshore wind and small, bumpy surf might look interesting, but for a surfer, it’s a solid two-week gap.

Then we get to Sunday the 16th of August. The morning looks like a brief, beautiful moment. The wind drops to nearly nothing – glassy conditions – and the swell has switched direction to a SSW groundswell. The size is small, only about 2ft, but the period is a massive 17 seconds. That’s proper long-period energy, and the combined energy is a solid 370, which is moderate. This is a reef-and-beach break, so that long-period swell might line up nicely on the reef bowl. However, it’s tiny, and the forecast says it “rarely breaks,” so you’d need a longboard and a lot of patience. The crowds are listed as “sometimes,” so you might have a few others with the same idea.

After that, it’s back to the onshore wind and messy conditions. The 17th of August offers a marginal chance with a light wind, but the swell is still small and the energy is dropping. The 20th of August has a similar marginal look, but the wind is a light cross-on, so it’s a long shot. For the rest of the run, it’s just more of the same onshore lump.

The only real standout is that glassy window on the morning of the 16th of August. It’s our best chance, but it’s a fickle one. For everything else, you’re better off waiting for the next forecast.

Rusty

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