La Preciosa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into what’s on the cards for the next 16 days. We’re looking at a long stretch of so-so conditions, and honestly, I’d be lying if I said there was much to get excited about. The bigger picture is a persistent, moderate east-southeast breeze that keeps the surface a bit crinkled, and the swell is around 3 ft to 5 ft for most of the run. The issue is that the wind is largely cross-off, which does clean up the face a bit, but the wave quality is just flat-out poor for the bulk of the period. The combined swell energy is weak to moderate, ranging from 79 to 259, which tells you we’re not getting any real punch. The water is sitting at 83°, which is about average for the time of year, so nothing unusual there.

Let’s break it down day by day. Starting from Thursday, July 16, through to Friday, July 24, we’ve got a solid 9-day run of poor surf. The wind is a moderate to fresh breeze from the east, and that cross-off direction keeps it from being totally choppy, but the swell is short-period (6 to 8 seconds), and the wave comment is "poor surf conditions" all the way through. The swell height sits between 3 ft and 5 ft, but with that short period, it’s just not going to have any shape or power. The combined energy is mostly under 200, which is weak. Honestly, there’s nothing to recommend here.

Then we hit Saturday, July 25, and there’s a tiny flicker of hope. The morning session sees a shift to a true offshore wind from the ESE at 16 mph, and the "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions" comment suggests it’s a step up from the rest. The swell is 4 ft from the east with a 7-second period, and the combined energy is 161. That’s still weak, but the offshore wind will clean it up nicely. The trouble is, the waves themselves are just "ordinary." It’s not a standout, but if you’re desperate, it’s the best you’ll get in this window.

From Sunday, July 26, through to Friday, July 31, we’re back into a rut of poor surf, with the wind staying cross-off and the swell hanging around 3 ft to 5 ft, short period. The last two days of the forecast, Thursday, July 30 and Friday, July 31, do see a nudge in energy, with combined readings climbing to 211 and 241, but the wind is still fresh and the wave quality is still poor. The Friday morning session on July 31 is described as "marginal" – still not a call to arms.

So, the standout window? It’s that Saturday, July 25 morning. The offshore wind is the only time we get a truly clean surface, and the shoulder-high lines (4 ft) from the east will be rideable. It’s not going to be epic, but it’s the only session that gets a score of 1 out of 10. For a break like La Preciosa, which is a consistent, exposed reef, this is a weirdly quiet spell. There’s a long gap of 9 days with no decent surf at the start, and then a few marginal days at the end. The long-range stuff is too weak to bank on, so if you’re looking to paddle, keep that Saturday morning in mind.

Rusty out.

Read more