La Paloma Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for La Paloma. It’s a bit of a slow cooker this forecast, with a proper wait before anything really gets going, but there’s a couple of solid windows to mark on the calendar.

Right now, through Wednesday the 26th and Thursday the 27th, it’s small and pretty weak. We’re talking ankle-snappers around 1 ft to 2 ft from the NW, with combined wave energy sitting way down in the dumps (29 to 79). Not much to write home about. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing weird going on there. Thursday morning has a moment of glassy calm, but the swell is just too weak to make it worthwhile.

We get a tiny bump into Friday the 28th with the swell pushing up to 5 ft, but a cross-shore wind of 12 mph ruins the party, and the energy is still poor. By Friday afternoon, the swell jumps to 8 ft (energy hits 1049), but with a cross-onshore breeze, it’s going to be a messy, choppy mess. That size is getting into expert territory anyway. Saturday and Sunday stay in the 4 ft to 5 ft range with weak energy (187 to 380) and cross-shore winds. Not the one.

Now, here’s the first decent look-in. Monday morning the 31st of August. The swell is a clean 5 ft from the NW, period a short 8 seconds, but the real story is the glassy conditions with a slight air. Combined energy is up to a moderate 302. It says “expect good surf conditions”. It won’t be the biggest or the best shaped, but for a Monday morning session, you could do a lot worse. It’s a very consistent spot, but remember, crowds are often here, so get in early.

We then hit a bit of a flat patch from Tuesday through to Thursday, with waves dropping back under 3 ft and the energy falling apart.

But hold onto your leash, because the standout of the whole forecast is Saturday the 5th of September. Saturday morning, we’ve got a clean 5 ft from the NNW, a solid 11-second period (groundswell), and glassy conditions under calm skies. The combined energy is a punchy 561 and it says “expect very good surf conditions”. That’s the one. That’s your dawn patrol call. The swell direction is a perfect match for the optimum NW direction this spot loves. Keep in mind, with that longer period (11 secs), the sets will have more punch and better shape, but don’t expect it to be super consistent between sets. It’ll be worth the wait.

Sunday the 6th still has some leftover energy, with a 4 ft NNW swell and a light cross-offshore breeze making for clean conditions. Not quite as epic as Saturday, but a solid backup.

Looking further out, we get another push into the second week. Wednesday the 9th of September morning has a nice 6 ft NW groundswell (10 sec period) and a clean, glassy morning. Combined energy is a strong 673. However, being over 5 ft, it’s getting a bit big for the beginners. Thursday the 10th morning is also promising, with 5 ft NW swell and a clean cross-offshore breeze. These are promising long-range calls, but less certain this far out.

So, bottom line: this week is mostly a write-off. The real action is on Saturday, September 5th. That’s your standout. Get it while it’s glassy. And for you experts, keep an eye on that Wednesday the 9th window.

Rusty.

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