La Palue Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s cut through it and talk about what’s actually happening in the water.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a quiet stretch ahead. There’s some small swell on the way, but honestly, for the first week and a half, it’s mostly a waiting game. The surf is tiny, the winds are messy, and the conditions are just not cooperating. You’ll be looking at a long gap of small, poor-quality waves from now until around the 26th of July. That’s a solid five or six days of nothing to get excited about. The water temp is sitting at 66°F with a touch warmer than normal anomaly, so it’s a bit on the mild side for the time of year.

Now, things start to get interesting on Sunday the 26th of July. That morning, we’ve got a 7ft swell from the WNW with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 501 (moderate energy). That’s a solid push, but the problem is the wind is blowing cross-on from the NW at 16 mph, which is going to make it choppy and messy. This swell is building, and by the afternoon, it’s up to 8ft from the WNW with a period of 9 seconds and a combined energy of 773 (strong energy). That’s a lot of power, but again, the wind is ruining it. This is not beginner territory – over 8ft is for experts only, and we’re flirting with that. The break is La Palue, an exposed, expert-only spot that’s consistent. It’s a beach break or reef, so with that much energy and cross-onshore wind, it’s going to be a battle. Honestly, for paddle surfing, it’s a write-off. If you’re into kite surfing, this setup might be more interesting.

The real standout – and I mean the only one worth circling on your calendar – is much further out. On Sunday the 2nd of August, we’ve got a morning session that looks glassy. The wind is from the NE at 3 mph, and it’s labeled as glassy. The swell is small, only 2ft from the W with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy is 56 (weak). But the conditions are clean. The water is likely still on the warmer side, and the offshore wind is light. This is the best window in the entire 16-day forecast. It’s not big, but it’s clean, and that’s a major positive. The break is La Palue, which is an exposed, expert spot, but with those tiny waves, it’s more of a longboard or funboard session. Crowds are often here, so don’t expect to have it to yourself.

Other than that, the rest of the run is poor. The swell picks up again on the 28th of July with a 4ft WNW swell (period 10 seconds, energy 333 – moderate), but the wind is cross-on and choppy. The 29th has a brief window of cleaner conditions with a 3ft swell from the NW (period 9 seconds, energy 162 – moderate), but the wind is cross-off from the NE at 9 mph, which is better, but still not great. The 30th of July has a 3ft NW swell with offshore wind from the E at 12 mph, making it clean, but the energy is only 108 (weak). It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

So, the bottom line: don’t bother with the first week. The 2nd of August is your best bet, but it’s a small, glassy morning. If you’re patient, you might get a window. If you’re not, well, the forecast can change, but right now, it’s a tough outlook.

Rusty.

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