El Palito Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it.

Honestly, looking at the next 16 days, there’s not much to get excited about at El Palito—a beach and breakwater setup. The water temp is hanging around 82°F, which is about average for the time of year, so at least the water’s warm.

The first week is a write-off. From Sunday, July 12th right through to the end of the week, it’s pretty much all poor surf conditions with storm risks, onshore to cross-onshore winds, and only tiny, weak swells showing up. There’s a window early Tuesday morning, July 14th, where the wind goes glassy and light from the NNE at 3 mph, and we get a 3 ft NE swell at a short 7 seconds. The energy is weak (91), and the comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” so it might be worth a quick paddle for a few small ones before the afternoon goes to crap with a 12 mph cross-onshore. Don’t expect much.

The only other tiny glimmer is Monday, July 20th, in the morning. We get a 4 ft NE swell, period still just 7 seconds, with a light onshore breeze from the NE at 6 mph. The energy picks up a bit into moderate territory (127), but the wind is still rubbish for clean conditions. It’s still poor surf. That pattern holds—nothing after that really breaks into “surfable” territory until the very end of the period.

Thursday, July 24th, has another tiny 3 ft NE swell (period 6 seconds, energy 51), but with a cross-onshore wind up to 9 mph. Same again Saturday, July 25th morning with 3 ft NE, 6 seconds, and light onshore wind. Sunday, July 26th morning shows 3 ft NE, 7 seconds, energy 86, but the wind is onshore again.

All of these are poor conditions. The swell is tiny, the period is short, and the winds are mostly cross-onshore or onshore. The break is fairly exposed to the NNE, which matches the swell direction, but with that short period and messy wind, it’s not going to shape up. It’s looking more like a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one most afternoons.

If you’re desperate, Tuesday morning July 14th and Monday morning July 20th are your absolute best bets, but even they are only “ordinary” at best. The long gap of no real surf from late July 14th through the 18th, and again after the 20th, tells you the story.

Hang in there, but don’t hold your breath. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s flat and messy.

- Rusty

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