El Penon Amador Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – this 16-day window for El Penon Amador (Panama) is shaping up to be a real tough one. The shortboards are gonna be collecting dust for a while.

We're looking at a solid stretch of poor surf conditions right through. The main issue is a relentless ENE wind that's howling at 15 to 28 mph, blowing straight across the swell. That's creating a lumpy, messy cross-chop on every single session for the first week and a half. The waves themselves are mostly short-period, wind-affected swell around 3 ft to 6 ft, with the combined energy bouncing between 103 and 260 (weak to moderate). It's just not clean enough for a decent paddle.

The only real standout, and it's a long-range and uncertain one, pops up on Monday, August 17th. The morning sees a pulse of long-period groundswell from the east at 3 ft, but with a 14-second period. The energy jumps to 658 (moderate). Still, the wind is cross-shore from the ENE at 15 mph, so it won't be perfect. The real glimmer of hope is the Monday afternoon. The swell picks up to 6 ft from the east, with a very long 12-second period, and the energy rockets up to 1144 (strong). The wind shifts to a cross-shore from the NE at 15 mph. For a reef break that's exposed to the north swell direction, this is the most promising window. It's going to be a powerful, clean groundswell, but this spot is "inconsistent" and "sometimes" crowded, so you'll be sharing it with the few other locals who know the forecast. It's a long way out, so keep your fingers crossed it holds.

The pattern shifts slightly on Tuesday, August 18th, but it's not the same quality. The morning is still cross-shore with a 5 ft swell (10-second period, 370 energy). The afternoon gets a score of 1, which is "marginal" – the wind drops to a light breeze from the ENE at 6 mph, with a 4 ft swell (10-second period, 299 energy). It might be worth a look if you're desperate, but the conditions are "questionable."

After that, the swell fades out fast. The last week of the forecast is a write-off, with tiny waves under 3 ft and weak energy. It’s a long blank run with no real options.

Bottom line: For the next 16 days, your best bet, and honestly the only worthy one, is the afternoon of Monday, August 17th at El Penon Amador. That's your window for a proper, powerful groundswell.

Stay patient.
Rusty.

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