Hossegor - La Centrale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it.

The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag for us. We’ve got a real slow patch to start, but there’s some serious potential brewing for the end of the run. Hold tight.

Right now, things are flat and quiet. We’re looking at a few days of small, weak surf through Monday the 18th and Tuesday the 19th. The swell energy is weak, around 11 to 65, with waves under 3 feet. The wind is mostly cross-onshore, which will keep things messy. Not worth paddling out for anyone.

The first real pulse shows up on Thursday morning, the 20th of August. We’ve got new energy filling in from the northwest at 4ft, but it’s short-period at 11 seconds, and the wind is on it. Moderate energy at 258. It’s a bit of a tease. Conditions are marginal at best.

Friday the 21st is where things start to get interesting. The swell builds a little to 5ft from the northwest with a period of 10 seconds. The kicker here is the early morning glass-off. Wind is light from the east and the surface will be clean. This is the first real standout of the window. Energy is solid at 425. That’s your call.

The weekend drops off again. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd see the energy fade, and the wind turns cross and cross-offshore. It’s surfable but nothing special, small and mediocre. We’re just biding our time.

Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th are a write-off. The swell is small but the wind is onshore, and Tuesday sees some fresh breeze from the west at 19 mph with rain. It’s messy and blown out. Not the kind of day you want to be out there.

The doldrums continue through Wednesday the 26th and Thursday the 27th. The swell is still small, and the wind is mostly cross-onshore. Gaps between any decent waves feel like an eternity. This is the kind of stretch where you’re better off finding something else to do.

Then, things look up in a big way.

Friday the 28th of August is the big one. Overnight, a proper groundswell arrives. We’re looking at a 7ft northwest swell with a long 12-second period. Combined energy jumps to a very strong 1135. The wind is offshore and light from the southeast, making the break at La Centrale (Hossegor) glassy and clean. This is a serious day for experienced surfers. For the beginners, honestly, at 7ft this is getting into expert territory. This is the standout of the entire fortnight. Don’t miss the morning session.

The energy stays in the water but slides off from there. Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th see the swell back down to 4ft and 3ft, with onshore winds making things lumpy and poor.

Don't write it off yet.

The final day of the forecast, Monday the 31st of August, delivers another morning gem. A new pulse of 8ft northwest swell with an 8-second period comes through. The combined energy is a strong 837. The wind is light from the northeast, glassy again. This is another session for the more experienced crowd. Good size and clean lines. That early window is the key.

And then, pushing into the start of September, Tuesday the 1st, there is a massive, long-period swell forecast. We’re talking 8ft from the northwest with a 14-second period. The energy reading is huge at 1998. The problem is the wind swings onshore, which will chop it up. It’s promising but will likely be a bit unruly on the beach breaks. At that size, it’s purely for the experts anyway. Still, it’s worth keeping an eye on.

For kitesurfers, those windy, onshore days around the 25th might look more appealing than anything else.

So over the next 16 days, there’s a couple of true standouts. The clear pick is the early session on the 28th of August for its size and clean glass. If you miss that, the morning on the 31st is the next best option. The middle of the run has a few too many flabby days to get excited about.

Rusty.

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