La Barra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got a look at the surf ahead for La Barra. Straight up, it’s a tough stretch for paddle surfing around here. The whole 16-day window is filled with cross-onshore winds that keep things messy and choppy, so don’t expect any clean, glassy sessions. The first recommended surf doesn’t show up until Monday, 21 July, so there’s a solid 14-day gap with basically nothing worth paddling out for.

For the first week or so, from Tuesday, 7 July through Sunday, 20 July, every single session is rated as poor surf conditions. Swell heights stay small, mostly under 5 ft, with weak combined wave energy (often under 100, maxing around 621 on Monday, 20 July). Winds are a constant 9 to 16 mph from the north or north-northwest, hitting cross-onshore, making the ocean choppy and unappealing. Even when the swell ticks up a bit around 7 ft to 8 ft on Sunday, 19 July and Monday, 20 July (energy hitting 486 to 621), the wind keeps it ragged. No standouts here—just a lot of days to stay on the beach.

Now, looking ahead to the second week, the forecast gets a little more interesting but still has issues. On Monday, 21 July, there’s a marginal session in the morning. La Barra (Uruguay) picks up a 7 ft swell from the north-northeast at 8 seconds, with combined moderate energy of 588. The wind drops to 6 mph from the north, still cross-onshore but lighter—just light cross-onshore with small wind ripples. The water temp is 72°F, which is about average for the time of year (anomaly of +0.9°F). It’s a beach-and-reef break that’s exposed to the northwest swell direction, and while the optimum is from the west-northwest, this north-northeast swell isn’t ideal. The break is very consistent, but it’s a beginner spot, and this 7 ft swell is getting a bit big for beginners, though not over 8 ft. Crowds are often around here. It’s the only session that scores a 2 out of 10, which is the best on offer for the whole period.

The next stand-out comes on Wednesday, 22 July, in the morning. La Barra gets a 8 ft swell from the north-northeast at 8 seconds, with combined strong energy of 717. Wind is light at 6 mph from the north, still cross-onshore but very light, so it’s cleaner than most days, but still not pristine. Again, it’s marginal with questionable tide conditions. At 8 ft, it’s pushing into that expert-only territory for a beginner break, and the period is short at 8 seconds, so the waves won’t hold their shape well. This one’s promising but less certain since it’s a week and a half out.

Honestly, for a surfer, the whole 16 days is a write-off for clean, quality waves. The constant north wind kills it. If you’re desperate, the mornings of 21 July and 22 July are your best bets, but don’t expect much. For kite surfing, La Barra’s exposed beach-and-reef setup with strong cross-onshore winds and building swell could actually be interesting from 19 July onward, but for paddle surfing, it’s a tough stretch.

Rusty.

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