
Surf Forecasts:
El Rancio surf forecast from 4 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 5 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 12s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 11 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 15s period, SSW swell with 2,241 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 12s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for El Rancio this week:
The surf forecast for El Rancio over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 20s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at El Rancio in the next 16 days are 2.2m 15s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (-04) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Tue 4th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Wed 5th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for El Rancio over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. We got a run of swells coming down the pipe for this stretch, but it’s not all plain sailing. The early part of the week is a bit of a tease – waves are there, but conditions are messy. We’re looking at a solid weekend window though, and a real standout for the experienced crew early next week. Overall, it’s a mixed bag of clean windows and cross-onshore chop, so you gotta pick your moments.
The first call is for Tuesday afternoon, August 4th at El Rancio. There's some swell running at about 6ft from the SW with a 12-second period and moderate energy (869). The water temp is 65.7°, which is a touch warmer than average for this time of year. But, the wind is on it from the WSW at 6 mph, and the surf report is calling it marginal. It’s not going to be a classic. The wind is blowing straight onto it, so it’s gonna be a bit of a wrestling match for not much reward.
Wednesday, August 5th doesn't get much better. Morning has the same 6ft SW swell, still with the onshore wind. The afternoon sees the wind drop off to a mere 3 mph from the WSW, and the energy bumps up a bit to moderate (1103). It’s still not clean, but it’s a slight step in the right direction. The swell is still pushing in with a 12-second period.
We roll into Thursday, August 6th. The swell drops back to around 3.5ft in the morning, but the period stretches way out to 16 seconds. That’s some proper groundswell energy, even if the size is down. The energy levels are climbing into that strong range (1182). However, the wind has gone cross-on from the WSW at 3-6 mph, which puts a bit of a crumble on the face. The afternoon bump in size to 4ft and the energy really jumps to 1476, but it's still that light cross-onshore making it a bit bumpy.
Friday, August 7th brings a bit more size back, with 6ft on offer for the whole day. The period is a solid 14 seconds. The energy is strong (1382 in the AM). Wind stays light cross-on from the WSW at 3 mph, so while the waves have some push, they’re still not perfectly clean. It’s better than the start of the week, but we're not in the magic zone yet.
Now, Saturday, August 8th is a down day. The swell drops to around 4.5ft and the period shortens right up to 10 seconds. The energy drops back to that moderate range (743). Still cross-on, and the quality has taken a hit. This one's a bit of a lull.
Sunday, August 9th starts to show some promise. The morning is where it’s at. The swell is down to 3ft but the period is back up to a long 15 seconds, and the key thing – it's glassy. The wind is a slight 3 mph from the SW, and the report is calling it "glassy" with a note about very good surf conditions. The energy is moderate (883). It’s small, but clean. That’s your pick for a fun, easy session on the log. The afternoon gets a little more size (4.5ft) but the wind swings cross-on, so the morning window is the one.
Then we get the pulse. Monday, August 10th is when things start to get serious. The swell builds through the day, hitting 6ft in the morning and 6.5ft by the afternoon. Both from the SSW with a 13-second period. The energy climbs into that strong range, maxing out at 2130 in the afternoon. The wind is still light cross-on, which is a shame, but with that much water moving, it’s going to have some power. It's not perfect, but it's a lot more interesting.
And that brings us to the real standout of the whole forecast: Tuesday morning, August 11th. This is the one to circle on the calendar. We’ve got 7ft of swell from
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed afternoon, min 15°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun afternoon, min 15°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 15 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
869 | 813 | 899 | 899 | 624 | 683 | 728 | 1363 | 1382 | 1253 | 905 | 386 | 325 | 332 | 441 | 818 | 1048 | 1151 | 1363 | 2241 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 1:32AM0.93m | 1:15PM0.87m | 2:29AM0.97m | 2:10PM0.78m | 3:35AM1.03m | 3:23PM0.70m | 4:45AM1.10m | 4:49PM0.65m | 5:53AM1.19m | 6:10PM0.66m | 6:54AM1.27m | 7:16PM0.70m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:03PM0.21m | 7:28AM0.41m | 7:41PM0.23m | 8:45AM0.43m | 8:29PM0.24m | 10:16AM0.43m | 9:27PM0.25m | 11:45AM0.38m | 10:35PM0.24m | 12:57PM0.30m | 11:44PM0.21m | 1:53PM0.23m | 00:49AM0.16m | |||||||
— | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | |
6:27 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:29 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 18 |
Feels °C | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 15 |
869 | 813 | 899 | 899 | 624 | 440 | 680 | 1363 | 1382 | 1253 | 905 | 386 | 325 | 332 | 287 | 818 | 1048 | 1151 | 1363 | 2241 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 21 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SSW 10 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 8 | — | — | SW 19 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SW 16 | — |
— | 42 | 97 | 184 | 98 | 683 | 728 | 51 | — | — | 15 | 277 | 265 | 208 | 441 | 325 | 287 | 147 | 767 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SSW 10 | SW 18 | S 9 | SSW 8 | — | — | — | — | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 19 | SW 18 | — | — |
— | — | — | 20 | 252 | 59 | 68 | — | — | — | — | 80 | 77 | 118 | 155 | 42 | 293 | 607 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 108 | 0 | 55 | 15 | 0 | 55 | 108 | 0 | 55 | 108 | 0 | 55 | 108 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 0 | 55 | 1 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Atacama | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Chile | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the El Rancio Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for El Rancio provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at El Rancio can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our El Rancio surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (El Rancio) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for El Rancio may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
El Rancio is 3 km (2 miles) from the city of Arica. If you plan a holiday in Atacama, look for hotels and other accommodation in Arica. Arica has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











