Jameos del Agua Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight up – the outlook for Jameos del Agua (Lanzarote) over the next 16 days is pretty grim, especially for the first week and a half. We’ve got a real flat start, and even when the swell shows up, the wind is just ruining it. The water is sitting at about 74°, a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.

For this Sunday the 9th, the swell is around 6 ft from the NNE with a short 7-second period. Problem is, the wind is howling from the north at 19 mph, side-shore and lumpy. The combined wave energy is a moderate 295 (moderate energy), but the conditions are just poor. That’s the story right through the first week: consistent side-shore winds, moderate to fresh, and a mushy, lumpy cross-chop. The swell builds a little towards the 14th and 15th, hitting 6-7 ft on Friday and Saturday, and energy climbs into the 400s and even 549 (moderate to strong), but the wind stays side-shore or even side-on, so it’s a messy, blown-out mess. For a reef break like Jameos del Agua, which needs clean conditions, this is a no-go.

There’s a stretch of dead quiet from the 9th through to the 17th – no surf worth paddling for. Honestly, it looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing for most of that first week, with the strong side-shore winds and some energy in the water.

The one flicker of hope comes as we head into the second week. On Tuesday the 18th, the wind finally swings to a light cross-offshore from the NNW at just 9 mph, and the swell drops to 4 ft. The afternoon is the first time we see “clean” conditions and a score that suggests it’s at least surfable. The energy is weak at 134 (weak energy), but it’s a start. Wednesday the 19th looks the best we’ve got: a 3-4 ft swell from the north, with periods starting to push to 8 seconds, and near-glass in the morning with the wind dropping to just 3 mph. Clear skies, clean faces. The energy is still low at 130-203 (weak to low moderate), but this is your window if you’re desperate. Thursday the 20th holds similar, with 4-5 ft from the north, 9-second period, and a gentle cross-offshore breeze – clean, but still marginal. The energy climbs to 320 (moderate) on Thursday morning.

Then, from Friday the 21st, the winds whip back up, and it’s back to side-shore chop and poor conditions through to the end. The swell on the 21st hits 5 ft with a nice 9-second period and energy of 681 (moderate to strong), but the cross-wind wrecks it. The 22nd and 23rd are similar – swell around 6-6 ft, but messy.

So, the standouts? Tuesday the 18th afternoon and Wednesday the 19th are your only real shots at something clean. I’d point you to the 19th, especially the morning: 3 ft from the north, dead calm wind, and a reef break that can handle it. It’s small, but it’s the cleanest you get. It’s a fairly consistent break, and the optimum direction from the north matches the guidance, so it’s worth a look. Just don’t expect much.

Rusty.

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