Hornitos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' for Hornitos. It's a quiet start, so don't rush down there just yet.

We're looking at a pretty flat spell to kick things off. From Saturday the 22nd right through until Thursday the 27th of August, it's a write-off. The swell is tiny, mostly around 1.3ft to 2.6ft, with weak energy readings down in the double digits (97, 60, 32). The winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore, so it's going to be messy and small. Not worth wetting a suit for.

Things start to perk up a touch on the 28th of August. A solid pulse of SW groundswell pushes in, but it's a double-edged sword. Friday morning the 28th brings a solid 7.2ft of SW swell at a very long 15 seconds, with moderate energy (2175). This is big, powerful stuff. For an intermediate spot like Hornitos, that's getting into the "experts only" zone. The wind is onshore in the morning, so it's going to be a battle. The afternoon cleans up a little, but it's still a cross-onshore breeze. The surf quality is marginal at best, more of a big, churning mess than a clean, rideable wave.

The weekend of the 29th and 30th sees the swell drop back a bit, but it's still a chunky 4.9ft to 5.6ft, mostly from the WSW. The wind stays cross-onshore, so it's going to be choppy and bumpy. The energy is still there, but it's not going to be pretty. By the 31st, the swell is all over the place, with a short period and a moderate breeze making it a bit of a washing machine.

Now, the highlight of the whole run, and it's a long way out, so take it with a grain of salt. Around Wednesday the 2nd of September, we see a potential gem. The morning has a 3.9ft SW swell, but the real story is Wednesday afternoon. The wind goes glassy with a WSW onshore that's so light it's almost nothing. That's a huge plus. The swell is only 2.6ft, but it's coming from the WSW with a very long 20-second period. That's a proper groundswell. The energy is moderate (833). This setup is best for a point or reef, but at Hornitos, a beach break, that long period might make it a bit too straight. But with glassy conditions and a clean face, it could be a fun, small-wave session for the skilled surfer.

Thursday the 3rd of September keeps that long-period energy going with a 4.3ft to 5.2ft SW groundswell at 18 seconds and strong energy (1351 to 1518). The wind is light onshore or cross-onshore, but the quality is still marginal. The water is still quite warm for this time of year, running about 2.6° warmer than average, so you can leave the winter rubber at home.

The window closes again after that, with the swell fading and the wind picking up to a moderate cross-onshore breeze for the second week. It's a classic case of a few promising days in a long, flat window. The standout is that Wednesday the 2nd of September afternoon with the glassy conditions, even if it's tiny. Friday the 28th of August has the size, but the conditions are rough. If you're a confident surfer who can handle big, mushy onshore surf, maybe Friday the 28th is your jam, but for clean lines, wait for the 2nd of September.

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