El Palito Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let me tell you straight up – we are in a flat spell. There’s a big gap of nothing on the horizon for this region, so don’t get your hopes up too high.

We kick off right now with a few faint chances, but honestly, for this entire 16-day window, looking at you, El Palito, there is not a single stand-out session. The whole forecast is filled with “poor surf conditions” and zeros for energy. We’re talking about a stretch from July 8th to July 22nd where nearly every entry shows nothing to ride.

Let’s break down the best of a bad bunch, which isn't saying much. On Wednesday morning, July 8th, the swell makes a brief, sad appearance. We’re looking at a weak 3 ft swell from the NE, with a short-period of just 7 seconds. That’s weak energy (91) – barely a bump. The wind is light and onshore from the NNE at 6 mph, which means it’ll be a little bumpy. Hardly a classic.

Later that same Wednesday afternoon, the swell ticks up just a fraction to 4 ft from the NE, still with that lousy 7-second period, and the combined energy climbs to a still-modest 127. But the wind shifts to a cross-onshore breeze from the ENE at 9 mph, chopping the surface. That’s not going to clean up.

The only silver-lining moment comes Thursday morning, July 9th. The wind goes glassy – dead calm, 0 mph from the NNE. The water’s gonna be like a mirror. But here’s the kicker: there’s no swell. Zero energy. You’ll be sitting on a flat lake, staring at a smooth horizon. Not a wave to be caught.

For beginners around El Palito, the tiny waves on offer (around 3 ft) are manageable, but the conditions are just poor. For everyone else, there’s nothing worth paddling out for.

El Palito itself is a beginner-friendly beach and breakwater spot, and it’s fairly consistent usually, so this blank run is a bit of a surprise. It’s fairly exposed to the NNE, which is the direction of the small swell we get. The water temp is sitting at a typical 82°F, which is about average for this time of year.

The rest of the forecast is just dead. From July 10th right through to July 22nd, we see nothing but onshore or cross-onshore winds and flat conditions. A long, dry spell for surfers. You might see some afternoon thunderstorms roll in, but no waves with them. Save the wax for another week, folks. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye out, but right now, the ocean is on a break.

- Rusty

Read more