Hornitos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break it down for Hornitos.

Right off the bat, I’ve gotta be straight with you – this is a pretty flat and quiet stretch ahead. The water’s sitting at 65°F which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s something to note if you’re paddling out.

The first session that’s even worth a look is Sunday morning, the 30th of August. We’ve got a 4 ft swell rolling in from the WSW with a 12-second period. The combined energy is moderate (488), but the wind is cross-on at 6 mph, and the report calls it marginal. It’s not going to be pretty, but it’s the only thing that’s not a total write-off right now.

Monday the 31st through Tuesday the 1st of September stays small, with swell around 4 ft to 4 ft and the same cross-on or onshore wind. The energy drops a bit, and it’s still just marginal. Not the kind of day you’d rush out for.

Wednesday the 2nd of September, the swell drops to 3 ft, but the wind goes onshore and light, and the period drops to 9 seconds. Marginal again, but tiny.

Thursday the 3rd of September is interesting – the swell is only 2 ft to 3 ft, but the period jumps way up to 18 seconds. That’s a very long period groundswell, but at this size it’s barely going to show. Combined energy is still moderate (438-468). For a reef or point, that long period would be a dream, but Hornitos is a beach setup, so those long lines might just roll through without much shape. Still, if you’re desperate, Thursday afternoon might have a clean little wave.

Friday the 4th of September actually looks like the best of the bunch. Swell picks up to 4 ft to 4 ft from the SW, period stays long at 15 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 599 in the morning and 718 in the afternoon – that’s moderate to strong energy. Wind is onshore and light, so it’s clean. This is the standout. If you can only paddle out once in the next two weeks, make it Friday afternoon. It’s not huge, but it’s the most energy and the cleanest conditions we’ll see.

After that, it’s a slow bleed. Saturday the 5th of September through to Monday the 14th of September is mostly poor surf conditions or marginal at best. Swell hangs around 2 ft to 3 ft, with periods dropping from 13 seconds down to 11 seconds. Combined energy weakens into the 200s. The wind is often cross-on or onshore, and it’s just not going to be fun. A few days in there, like the 10th and 11th, are straight-up poor.

Honestly, if you’re not sold on that Friday the 4th, you’re looking at a long wait. The gaps are real – days of nothing worth chasing. The setup is more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer on most of these days, especially with the cross-on breeze and small ripples.

Keep your eyes on Friday the 4th of September, that’s your best bet. After that, forecasts might change, but right now it’s a quiet run.

Rusty.

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