
Surf Forecasts:
Hornitos surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 4 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 15s period, WSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 14s period, SW swell with 647 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 16s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Hornitos this week:
The surf forecast for Hornitos over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 03) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Hornitos in the next 16 days are 1.3m 14s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 11PM. 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 (Thu 3rd Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Fri 4th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Fri 4th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Hornitos over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a long stretch ahead, but it’s a quiet one for the most part. The only game in town is Hornitos, and it’s a slow burn with a few glimmers.
The overall pattern is small, long-period SW groundswell, but the quality is a real mixed bag. The water is sitting at 65°F – that’s nearly 5°F warmer than usual for this time of year, which is pretty notable. You’ll be surfing in a bath, basically.
The first real whisper of anything comes on the morning of Thursday, September 3rd. We’ve got a long-period 18-second SW groundswell rolling in at 2ft, with light offshore WSW wind. The combined energy is moderate, at 410. It’s small, but that long period means it’ll have some push. The problem is, the forecast flags it as marginal, so don’t expect much. The afternoon picks up a touch to 3ft with a 16-second period, but the wind goes cross-on, putting a little ripple on it.
Friday the 4th is the best of the early run. The morning sees a 4ft WSW swell, still 14 seconds, with a light offshore wind. The energy jumps to 652, which is solidly moderate. The wind stays light and offshore all day. This is the standout moment for the first week. For a consistent, fairly exposed spot like Hornitos, that’s about as good as it gets with this setup. The long period is a positive for a spot like this, giving shape and energy, though it might have a few longer lulls between sets.
Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th drop back down to 3ft and 2ft respectively, with the wind staying offshore but the energy fading. It’s rideable, but nothing to get excited about. Then we hit a bit of a gap. From Monday the 7th through to Tuesday the 15th, it’s a real slog. The swell is tiny, often under 3ft, and the wind is either cross-on or making the surface choppy. The combined energy drops into the 100-300 range, which is weak. The forecast calls it poor or marginal across the board. That’s a solid 8 days of barely anything worthwhile.
Then, on Wednesday morning, September 16th, we get a pulse. The swell jumps back to 4ft from the SW, with a 12-second period, and a light offshore wind. The energy hits 519, which is moderate. It’s still a small wave, but the cleanest and biggest we’ve seen in over a week. For a spot that’s been dead, this is a solid improvement. The afternoon drops to 4ft and the wind goes cross-on again, but not too messy.
The final few days, from Thursday the 17th into Friday the 18th, fade back to 3ft and 3ft, with the period dropping to 9 seconds. The quality is poor, with the wind mostly cross-on. The run fizzles out.
So, to be honest, there’s not a true standout here. If you’re itching for a paddle, Friday morning September 4th is your best bet – clean, light offshore, and the biggest swell of the first week. The other flicker is Wednesday morning September 16th, which offers a similar setup but a week later. The long period (15-18 seconds) on the early swells is a nice touch, giving the small waves more shape than they’d have with a short period, but it’s all pretty mellow. For a spot that’s consistent, it’s a bit of a downer, but that’s the sea for you. Forecasts can always change.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat morning, min 16°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sun afternoon, min 17°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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 18 | SW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
312 | 395 | 441 | 561 | 561 | 628 | 336 | 238 | 199 | 197 | 190 | 206 | 305 | 293 | 281 | 241 | 336 | 250 | 208 | 163 | 124 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross | on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | cross | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:16PM0.69m | 2:13AM0.99m | 2:30PM0.60m | 3:30AM1.00m | 4:10PM0.56m | 4:52AM1.05m | 5:42PM0.59m | 6:02AM1.12m | 6:49PM0.66m | 6:59AM1.19m | 7:40PM0.75m | 7:49AM1.23m | 8:24PM0.85m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:13PM0.22m | 9:12AM0.31m | 8:14PM0.26m | 10:51AM0.28m | 9:37PM0.28m | 12:11PM0.21m | 11:04PM0.25m | 1:07PM0.13m | 00:16AM0.19m | 1:53PM0.06m | 1:15AM0.13m | 2:32PM0.01m | 2:07AM0.08m | ||||||||
6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | |
— | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:32 | — | — | 7:32 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 22 |
Feels °C | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 10 | SW 13 | SW 10 | SW 10 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 |
312 | 395 | 441 | 561 | 561 | 628 | 336 | 142 | 199 | 94 | 92 | 206 | 305 | 293 | 281 | 241 | 336 | 250 | 208 | 163 | 124 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 9 | SW 9 | SW 8 | SW 9 | SW 10 | — | SW 10 | SW 13 | SW 10 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 9 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SW 19 | SW 18 | WSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
50 | 39 | 41 | 88 | 157 | — | 148 | 238 | 94 | 137 | 118 | 86 | 61 | 56 | 30 | 30 | 90 | 81 | 109 | 125 | 109 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 10 | WSW 9 | SW 11 | — | — | — | SW 23 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 12 | W 12 | W 11 | WSW 20 | SW 19 | NW 13 | NW 13 | SW 7 | SW 7 | SSW 7 |
48 | 35 | 61 | — | — | — | 21 | 72 | 134 | 197 | 190 | 87 | 3 | 2 | 38 | 58 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 13 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 4 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 305 | 305 | 51 | 127 | 78 | 0 | 127 | 305 | 0 | 127 | 61 | 0 | 61 | 127 | 51 | 78 | 0 | 0 | 305 | 305 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Antofagasta | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Chile | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Hornitos Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Hornitos provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Hornitos can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Hornitos 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 (Hornitos) 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 Hornitos 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.
Hornitos is 22 km (14 miles) from the city of Mejillones. If you plan a holiday in Antofagasta, look for hotels and other accommodation in Mejillones. Mejillones has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










