Hornitos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here.

Alright, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Hornitos. To be straight with you, the next week or so is a bit of a struggle. We’ve got swell, sure, but it’s mostly small and the wind’s not playing ball. There are a couple of windows that look worth a paddle, but you’ll need to pick your moment.

The water’s sitting at a very warm 64°, which is 4° above the norm for this time of year – that’s much warmer than we’d expect, a real treat when you’re sitting out there.

For the first few days, we’re looking at waist-high waves around 3ft from the SW, but the wind is a cross or cross-onshore, making it pretty choppy and unappealing. The combined energy is moderate though, around 503 (moderate) on Tuesday morning. It’s not the sort of stuff that gets you out of bed.

Things get a little interesting on Thursday the 20th. Early morning, the wind switches to a light onshore from the WSW, but it’s light, only 3 mph, and the swell is 3ft from the SW with a period of 14 seconds. That longer period gives the waves some shape, but it’s still just a marginal call. The energy is moderate at 421.

Friday the 21st afternoon is where it gets closer to something you’d actually want to surf. It’s only 3ft from the SW, but the wind goes glassy – completely calm. That’s a major positive. The period has dropped to 9 seconds, so the waves are a bit weaker, but if you’re desperate for a clean, small wave session, this is your shot.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Saturday the 22nd through until Thursday the 28th, the swell drops to barely 2ft, and most of the time the wind isn’t helpful. Combined energy gets weak, down to 82 (weak) on Sunday the 23rd. It’s basically a no-go for a solid stretch.

But hold on – Thursday the 28th afternoon is the standout of the whole 16-day window. The swell builds to 3ft from the WSW, but the period jumps to 16 seconds – that’s proper groundswell with a lot of energy. The combined energy is 634 (moderate). The best part? Glassy conditions again, with a light air from the WNW. This is the cleanest and most promising surf of the run. That’s the session you want to circle.

The following days see a real increase in size but a trade-off in quality. Saturday the 30th of August morning has 6ft from the WSW, and it pushes over 7ft in the afternoon. Combined energy hits 1498 (strong) and 1592 (strong). That’s a lot of ocean moving, but the wind is onshore and the period drops to 14-15 seconds. For Hornitos, this is more of an expert-only day – beginners will find it too big at over 5ft, and with the cross-onshore wind later in the weekend, it’s going to be lumpy. The period is still decent, so the waves will have some punch, but it’s not going to be the clean, lined-up stuff we saw on the 28th. This is for experienced surfers only.

After that, the swell fades back down to around 4ft by Monday the 31st, but the wind remains cross-onshore and the quality drops again.

So, overall, the best of the lot is Thursday the 28th of August afternoon. Small but glassy, with real deep ocean energy in the water. A close second for the bigger wave crew would be Saturday the 30th of August, but only if you’re comfortable in solid, messy conditions.

Rusty.

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