El Murcielago Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s see what we’ve got here.

Well, don’t get too excited just yet. The next 16 days at El Murcielago are looking pretty flat and ordinary for the most part. There’s a long stretch of small, messy surf ahead, but we do get one proper standout window that’s worth marking in your calendar if you can wait for it.

The water here is running at 80° and that’s a solid 9° warmer than usual for this time of year – very unusual, almost like a warm bath out there. That’s the first thing you’ll notice when you paddle out.

Right now, Monday the 10th, there’s nothing doing. Tiny 1ft to 1ft of weak southwest swell, cross winds, poor conditions. Tuesday the 11th morning shows a little flicker of life with 2ft southwest swell and 15-second period, cross-off wind cleaning things up, but the energy is still low (154 combined). It’s surfable but very ordinary. Wednesday through Friday of this week are pretty much a write-off – same story of small swell and cross or onshore winds. Thursday morning the 13th does go glassy, but with only 1ft and weak energy (137), it’s more of a float session than a surf.

Now, Friday the 14th sees a spike in combined swell energy to 393 and then 398, with wave heights bumping up to 3ft to 3ft – southwest to west-southwest direction, period around 16 to 18 seconds, so that’s a proper long-period groundswell. But here’s the thing: the wind is cross or cross-onshore and moderate, so the quality is shot. Not worth it unless you’re desperate.

Saturday the 15th morning offers a glimmer: 3ft of west-southwest swell at 15 seconds, clean with cross-off wind, combined energy at a solid 423. That’s the first real chance for a decent wave, but it’s still marginal – the tide or something else might be messing with it. Sunday the 16th morning is similar: 2ft southwest, clean cross-off, energy around 250. Still small, but rideable if you’re keen.

Then we hit the standout. Tuesday the 18th morning. This is the one. El Murcielago goes glassy, a rare light NNW breeze, and we’ve got 3ft of southwest groundswell with a 13-second period and combined energy of 250. The forecast says “expect good surf conditions.” That’s the best call of the whole outlook. It’s not huge, but it’s clean, and this spot can handle that size well. For a wave starved fortnight, that Tuesday morning is your shot.

The rest of the second week is flat and forgettable. Swell drops back to 1ft to 1ft, winds go onshore or cross again, energy drops into the double digits. Sunday the 23rd morning does have a clean 1ft south-southwest swell with an 18-second period, but it’s barely a ripple. Not worth paddling for.

So, bottom line: you’ve got a long dry spell until Tuesday morning the 18th of August. That’s the clear standout. Mark it. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or just plain ordinary. If you’re itching for a paddle before that, Saturday the 15th or Sunday the 16th mornings might give you a few, but keep expectations low.

Rusty.

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