El Murcielago Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Looking at the next couple of weeks, we’ve got a bit of a slow start, but there’s a real standout window shaping up for the end of July that’s got me pretty excited. Let’s get into it.

The first few days are pretty underwhelming. Monday the 20th kicks off with tiny, weak 1ft swell from the WSW, and the water is a balmy 81° – that’s a whopping 8° warmer than usual for this time of year, which is very unusual. The wave energy is only moderate (115), and the surf is clean but small. It’s really just a knee-high dribbler for the morning; the afternoon gets bumpy and messy. Tuesday the 21st is more of the same – small 2ft SW swell, cross-shore winds, and the energy is moderate (251). Not worth rushing out for.

Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd stay tiny, with swell dropping to 1.0ft, but the periods are interesting. Wednesday’s WNW swell is a long 18 seconds, and Thursday’s WSW swell is a very long 26 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, but there’s just no height to work with. The energy is still moderate (156 and 187). It’s clean in the mornings, but you’ll be fighting for every ripple.

Friday the 24th is similar – 1ft SW swell, but the period is a very long 22 seconds, with moderate energy (263). The morning is clean, but still tiny. We’re in a bit of a lull here.

Now, Saturday the 25th – finally something to talk about. The morning serves up 2ft SW swell with a solid 19-second period, and the wind goes glassy. Absolutely dead calm. The energy is moderate (283). This is the first real highlight of the period. It’s small, but that glassy surface and long-period groundswell will make for some clean, fun little waves at El Murcielago. The crowd factor is “sometimes” here, so you might have a few others, but it’ll be worth it.

Sunday the 26th is even better for the morning. Swell is 2ft from the SW, period 17 seconds, and it’s glassy again with a light NE breeze. The energy is moderate (315). This is a top pick for the week – clean, glassy, and that long-period groundswell wrapping in. The cross-on winds in the afternoon will mess it up, so get on it early.

Then we hit the big one. Monday the 27th is the standout. Morning sees 3ft of SW swell, with a 16-second period, and the wind is a clean cross-off from the SSW. The wave energy jumps to strong (521). This is the best surf of the entire outlook. That’s a proper waist-to-chest high groundswell with clean conditions. The period is long enough to hold shape, and the cross-off wind will keep the faces smooth. This is the morning to be in the water. The afternoon gets a bit cross-shore and messy, but the morning is gold.

Tuesday the 28th keeps the swell pumping, with 3ft to 3ft of SW swell, period 16 seconds, and strong energy (526-532). The wind is cross-shore in the morning, so it’s not as clean as Monday, but the swell is there. A good option for the bigger-wave crew.

Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th are still solid, with 3ft SW swell and 14-second periods, and clean mornings with cross-off winds. The energy is moderate (319 and 288). Good, consistent surf, but after Monday, they’re a step down.

Friday the 31st and Saturday the 1st of August see the swell drop back to 1ft-2ft, and conditions get a bit more ordinary. The energy fades to moderate (214-164). Sunday the 2nd has a clean morning with 2ft SW swell and moderate energy (209), but the afternoon gets messy.

Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th of August are back to the small stuff, with 2ft-3ft swells and cross-off winds in the mornings, but the energy is weak to moderate (130-145). The period drops to 9-13 seconds, so the quality isn’t there.

Best on offer: That Saturday morning the 25th and Sunday morning the 26th are both glassy, clean, and fun. But the absolute standout is Monday morning the 27th – 3ft of SW groundswell, strong energy (521), and clean cross-off winds. That’s the session to plan for.

Rusty.

Read more