El Porto Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for El Porto Beach over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, the water is sitting at a balmy 74°, which is a whopping 8° warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s very unusual and feels more like a warm bath than the Pacific. Makes for a nice long session without the chill.

The pattern is a bit of a slow burner. We’ve got tiny, long-period groundswell from the SW rolling in, with periods of 18 seconds or more. That’s a very long period, which means the waves will have plenty of energy for their size and will offer a nice, lined-up shape. However, with a south-east cross-off wind on Monday morning (14 September), we’re only looking at 1 ft surf. The combined swell energy is weak at just 96, so it’s not going to be a standout day. The wave comment says it’s surfable but very ordinary, and I’d agree. The next several days are a bit of a mixed bag, with mostly cross-onshore or cross winds messing up the surface, keeping the surf small and generally poor.

Things start looking more interesting around Sunday, 20 September. The swell ticks up to 2 ft from the SW, but the key change is a light cross-offshore breeze from the SSE. The wave comment says to expect good conditions, and with a combined energy of 318 (moderate), you’ll actually have some push behind those waves. The clean surface will be a welcome change.

The best on offer in this whole stretch looks to be Monday, 21 September. The morning session is where it’s at. Swell bumps up to 3 ft from the SW, still with that long 17-second period, so the waves will have shape. The wind is a light cross-off from the SE, keeping it glassy and clean. The combined swell energy is a solid 396, which is moderate but the highest we’ve seen for a morning with good wind. This is the true standout. Be aware, though, that El Porto is a consistent spot and crowds are likely.

After that, the surf quality drops back off. The winds go more onshore or cross-onshore from the 22nd onward, and the wave comments turn consistently negative. The second week is pretty grim, with mostly poor conditions and small, weak swell.

The next possible bright spot is Tuesday, 29 September. It’s a long way out, so take it with a pinch of salt, but the morning shows a cross-off wind from the SSE with a 2 ft SW swell. The combined energy is a respectable 281 and it’s forecast to be clean. It could be a decent make-up session if you’ve missed the earlier window, but don’t bank on it.

So, if you’re paddling out, point your board at Monday morning, 21 September. It’s the best shot we’ve got for clean, rideable waves. The rest of the time, it’s a lot of waiting for the wind to play nice.

Stay stoked,
Rusty.

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