El Porto Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what we’ve got on the horizon for El Porto Beach. It’s a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks, so let’s break it down.

We’re starting off with a pretty slow period. The first few days are looking mostly ordinary. The water is sitting at 71°F which is a whole lot warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s nearly 6°F above the norm, so it’s a proper anomaly. It’s like stepping into a bath.

Friday morning the 17th is the first real chance to get wet, but it’s nothing to write home about. We’ve got tiny 1ft swell from the SW with a very long period of 19 seconds. That long period suggests some deep-ocean groundswell, but at a beach break like El Porto, that kind of swell can break too straight and be a bit tricky. The wind is a gentle cross-offshore breeze from the SSE, which does keep things clean, but the wave energy is moderate (188). It’s surfable, but very ordinary. The afternoon turns cross-shore and choppy, so not worth it.

Saturday the 18th improves a touch. The morning shows 2ft from the SW with a period of 18 seconds, and the wind is still a gentle cross-off from the S. The energy climbs to moderate (281), and the water stays clean. This is the best of the early days, but it’s still small. The afternoon gets cross-onshore and messy.

The rest of the weekend and into the first half of the week is a struggle. Sunday the 19th through to Thursday the 23rd is dominated by onshore and cross-onshore winds, with swell heights hanging around 2ft to 3ft. The energy fluctuates from moderate to strong (326 to 576), but the wind is just not cooperating. It’s mostly “light cross-onshore with small wind ripples” or “gentle cross-onshore and fairly choppy.” You might get a few waves, but it’s marginal at best.

Now, hold onto your board, because Friday the 24th of July morning is the standout. The swell picks up to 2ft, but the period jumps to a very long 24 seconds, and the energy is strong (521). The wind shifts to a gentle cross-offshore from the SSE, and the wave comment says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is a classic groundswell window, and the clean conditions will make it look better than the size suggests. The water is still warm, and the energy is solid. This is your best bet for the whole forecast, but it’s a week away, so keep an eye on it.

From Saturday the 25th through to the end of the month, we’re back into a holding pattern. The swell stays in the 2ft to 3ft range, with periods from 14 to 21 seconds. The energy is strong (often 400 to 900), but the wind is mostly cross-on or onshore, keeping the surface messy. The morning of Monday the 27th sees a decent 3ft swell from the SSW, but the wind is a light cross-on, so it’s still marginal.

The last glimmer of hope is Thursday the 30th of July morning. We’ve got 3ft from the SSW with a 15-second period, and the wind is a gentle cross-offshore from the S, making it clean. The energy is moderate (430). It’s not a beast, but it’s the best thing in the second week after the 24th.

The very end of the run, into August, fades away with dropping swell and increasing wind. Saturday the 1st of August morning is 3ft but with a short period of 13 seconds and a light cross-on, then the afternoon turns into a moderate cross-onshore mess.

The real standout is Friday the 24th of July morning. The swell is 2ft from the SW, the period is a very long 24 seconds, and the wind is a clean cross-offshore. The crowd is “often” an issue at El Porto, so expect company. For the second week, Thursday morning the 30th of July is the next best, with 3ft from the SSW and clean cross-offshore wind. It’s not as good as the 24th, but it’s worth a paddle.

If you’re a beginner, the swell stays under 5ft for the whole window, so nothing is too big for you, but the wind consistency is the real enemy here. It’s not a great run for consistency, but when the conditions line up, it’ll be worth it.

Rusty.

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