La Nora Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Honestly, I’ve been staring at this forecast and it’s a tough one for the next couple of weeks. There’s a whole lot of nothing good on offer at La Nora for the foreseeable future, so I’ll take you through it day by day.

We’re starting off on Tuesday, July 21st, and the water is a balmy 72°, which is a massive 5° warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s seriously warm, like bathwater warm. But that’s about the only nice thing to say. The surf is a write-off. The swell is short-period, messy stuff from the NNE at 5ft with a weak 7-second period, and the wind is a cross-on breeze from the ENE. The combined energy is a weak 179, and the waves are choppy and poor. Don’t bother.

That pattern just keeps rolling. Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd are the same story – small, weak, short-period swell with cross-shore or cross-onshore winds. The energy is pathetic, barely cracking 200 on the best day. By Friday the 24th, the swell drops even further, down to 2ft, and the energy is a measly 52. It’s a complete flat spell.

The weekend of the 25th and 26th isn’t any better. Still small, still short-period, and the wind is mostly cross-onshore. The combined energy stays below 200. You’d be better off taking a long walk on the beach.

Then, on Monday the 27th, we finally see a flicker of hope. The swell direction swings around to the NNW, and the period jumps to 9 seconds, which is a proper groundswell. The combined energy bumps up to 451 (moderate) and the swell height is 5ft. But here’s the kicker: the wind is still cross-onshore from the ENE, and the report says it’s “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” It’s a tease. It’s not clean. The energy is there, but the quality isn’t.

Tuesday the 28th sees the period go to 10 seconds, which is nice, but the swell drops to 3ft and the wind is cross-shore and onshore. The energy is still moderate (332-371), but the waves are going to be a messy, choppy mess. This is a classic case of a long-period swell that needs a point break or a reef to shine, and with the wind in the wrong direction, it’s just not going to happen at La Nora.

The first week of August is a total washout. We’re talking tiny, weak swells, 1.0ft to 2ft, with periods all over the place. The only bright spots are a few glassy mornings on Saturday the 1st, Monday the 3rd, and Tuesday the 4th, but the swell is so small (1ft to 2ft) that it’s just “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” You might get a tiny knee-high wave if you’re desperate, but it’s not worth the drive.

So, the bottom line? There are zero standout days in this 16-day window. The first week is a total write-off, and the second week is just too small and messy to get excited about. The best you could hope for is a glassy morning on August 1st, 3rd, or 4th with waist-high, weak waves. It’s a long, flat run. But hey, it never stays this bad forever – the forecasts can change, and we’ll be watching for the next pulse of solid groundswell.

Stay patient, mates.

Rusty.

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