El Zonte Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at El Zonte for the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water temp is sitting at 87°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year—it’s a bit of a bath, but it’s fine.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but the outlook picks up proper from Monday 3rd August. The week ahead has a mix of small, clean windows and a couple of real standouts. The swell energy is moderate to strong, with values ranging from 152 to 727, so there’s proper juice in the water at times, but it’s not a wall of whitewater.

The first real standout is Saturday morning, 8th August. We’ve got a clean 3ft SSW swell, period 16 seconds, with a light offshore wind from the north. The energy is strong at 727. This is a groundswell, and that long period will make it wedge up nicely at the reef and point here. Offshore wind and clean conditions—this is the one to circle. Expect it to be a bit bigger and more powerful than the smaller days, but still manageable for advanced surfers. The crowd can be a factor here sometimes, so get in early.

The second standout is Saturday afternoon, 15th August. A 4ft SSW swell, period 16 seconds, with glassy conditions and calm wind. Energy is 857—that’s proper strong. The morning that day is even better, with 4ft SW, 16 seconds, and glassy, but the afternoon holds its own. This is another long-period groundswell, so expect clean lines and good shape at the point. Note that long period swells can make beach breaks a bit straight, but at a reef and point setup like El Zonte, it’s a dream.

On Monday 10th August, the morning is glassy with a 3ft SSW swell, 13 seconds, and energy at 564. That’s a solid, clean session, but not as big as the Saturday standouts.

For the second week, there’s a consistent run of clean mornings. Friday 14th August morning has a 2ft SSW swell, 19 seconds—very long period—with offshore wind. Energy is 510. It’s a small wave but clean and a good option for a longboard or a fish. The 15th and 16th mornings also offer glassy or offshore conditions with 3ft to 4ft swells.

The afternoons are generally a write-off, with cross-onshore or onshore winds and choppy conditions. Stick to the mornings.

There’s a gap of no surf? No, there’s consistent small waves from the start, but the quality really picks up from the 7th onwards. The first few days (3rd to 6th) have small, marginal waves, but the 3rd morning is glassy with 3ft and 13 seconds—worth a paddle if you’re desperate.

If you’re a beginner, stay away from the 3ft+ days (over 5ft is too big, and we don’t get that here, but these are still punchy for a learner). The Saturday standouts are for advanced surfers, but the smaller, cleaner days are fine for intermediates.

All in all, the best windows are Saturday 8th morning and Saturday 15th morning. The forecast is solid for the near term, and the long-range standouts look promising, but I’d be locking in the 8th for sure.

Rusty.

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