La Nora Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what La Nora has in store.

Straight up, it’s a slow start and the whole run is pretty weak. The waves are small and the wind messes up most of it. You’ll need to be patient.

First weekend, Sunday the 5th, the swell energy is only 90 (weak), with a tiny 2ft swell from the NW at 10 seconds, but the wind is a cross-shore breeze at 6 mph, and it’s rated poor. No dice. The water is sitting at 69°, which is 4° warmer than usual – that’s way above normal for this time of year, so you’d love to be in it, but the waves just aren’t there.

Monday the 6th morning gives you the first clean look. The swell drops to 1ft from the NW at 9 seconds, combined energy is only 53 (weak), but the wind goes glassy – dead calm. That’s a major plus. You might find a few clean little ankle-snappers. It’s described as “surfable waves but very ordinary,” so don’t expect much.

Then from Monday afternoon all the way through Friday the 10th, it’s mostly cross-on winds, with swell hanging between 1.0ft and 2ft. The energy stays under 100 for most of it. We do get another glassy window Thursday the 9th morning (2ft, 10 secs, 55 energy) and again Friday the 10th morning (2ft, 10 secs, 64 energy) – both “surfable” but ordinary. The pattern is frustrating: small clean moments with no real power.

Heading into the second week, things try to pick up a little. Sunday the 12th, the swell bumps to 3ft from the NW at 9 seconds, and the combined energy hits 185 (moderate). But it’s still cross-on winds. The comment says “marginal surf” for the afternoon. That’s the best we get for a while. Then Monday the 13th morning sees 4ft from the NNW, but it’s short-period at 7 seconds and cross-on again, so it’s choppy and weak.

Honestly, there are no standouts here. The swell never cracks 4ft, and the wind is almost always onshore or cross-on, ruining the shape. Even when we get a 4ft swell on Friday the 17th (from the NW, period only 6 seconds), the wind is cross-on at 9 mph, so it’s just a messy, short-period bump. La Nora is a beach and point break, exposed to the NW – that’s where most of the swell comes from – but the conditions never line up.

If you’re a beginner, the size is safe, but the quality is poor. If you want clean waves, there are about 5 days with a gap in between. For a kite surfer, the stronger cross-onshore winds and small, choppy sea state might be more fun than paddling. For paddle surfing, this is a tough stretch.

So, bottom line: the first week is mostly flat and poor. The second week has a little more size but still poor wind. Nothing worth circling on the calendar. The only bright spot is the unusually warm water. Keep an eye on it, but don’t get your hopes up.

Rusty.

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