El Mongol Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up at El Mongol over the next couple of weeks. Honestly, it’s a bit of a slow start, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel if you can wait.

Water temp is sitting at a balmy 71°F, which is about 3°F warmer than usual for this time of year – a touch warmer than normal, so you can leave the thickest rubber at home for now. El Mongol (a reef setup) is consistent and fairly exposed to the swell, with an optimum direction from the NNW.

The first week is pretty grim, mate. We’ve got poor surf conditions from Sunday the 16th right through to Wednesday the 19th. Swell is tiny, mostly under 3 ft, and the energy is weak with readings mostly under 100. The wind is all over the place – cross, cross-off, glass – but the swell just isn't there to do anything with. Tuesday morning the 18th is clean with a light cross-off breeze but only 1 ft of weak swell. It’s a write-off.

We finally see a pulse of energy arrive on Thursday morning the 20th. Swell jumps to 2 ft from the NNW with a period of 10 seconds, and the combined energy hits 185 – moderate. Conditions are glassy in the morning, so it’s surfable but only just. The afternoon sees the swell bump to 3 ft and the energy up to 361, but it’s a cross-shore wind and conditions are marginal. Still, it’s the first sniff of something rideable.

If you can hold out for Friday the 21st, that’s your standout. Morning and afternoon both look solid: swell hits 5 ft in the morning, dropping slightly to 4 ft in the afternoon, both from the NNW with a 10-second period. The energy is strong at 394 and 426 respectively, and the wind swings to glassy. This is clean, fun-sized surf for intermediates and up. It’s not huge, but it’s the best the forecast has to offer.

Then it drops away again. Saturday the 22nd through to the end of the month is mostly poor. There’s a spike Monday the 24th with 7 ft to 7 ft swell (energy up to 905 – strong), but the wind is cross-shore and it’s choppy, so it’s marginal at best. That’s more of a messy, powerful day for experts only, not a clean day for most.

Looking out to the 30th and 31st, there’s a bit of promise with 4 ft to 4 ft swell from the NNW and moderate energy (around 300-400), but the wind is cross-onshore or onshore. Clean it ain’t. Could be worth a look if the wind swings, but nothing to get too excited about this far out.

Best bet: Friday the 21st of August. Clean, glassy conditions with 4 ft to 5 ft of NNW swell at 10 seconds. Get in the water.

Rusty.

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