La Preciosa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a tricky stretch ahead at La Preciosa for the next 16 days, but there are a couple of windows of hope if you’re patient.

The overall pattern is dominated by easterly swell, often pulsing with moderate energy, but it’s going to be fighting against some pretty persistent wind. The water is sitting at a warm 84°, which is about normal for this time of year, nothing to write home about.

First up, the initial run of surf is looking pretty ordinary. From Tuesday the 11th right through until the end of the first week, we’re looking at small, weak swell mostly under 5 ft, with a short period of 6 to 8 seconds. The wind is mostly cross-offshore, coming from the east, but it’s frequently blowing at 12 to 19 mph, which is just making conditions messy. The combined energy is weak, rarely getting above 200 (137 to 399). The mornings are your best bet, with a few sessions showing “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” The Thursday morning to Friday morning (15th and 16th) has a bit more size, 5 ft to 6 ft, but the wind is still chopping it up. Honestly, this is a tough stretch; the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing through the afternoons.

Now, the real standout. Keep your eyes on Monday the 17th. The morning is looking like the best on offer across the whole outlook. We’ve got a solid 8 ft swell from the east with a period of 11 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell. The combined energy is a massive 1437, which is strong. This is a big, powerful wave. At 8 ft, this is expert territory only. The wind is cross-offshore from the ENE at 12 mph, which should keep the face reasonably clean. La Preciosa is a reef break, so that long period energy will really wrap in and line up. The afternoon drops to 7 ft but still has good energy (893). Be aware of the swell direction; it’s not spot-on the optimum north, but it’s close enough to fire. The file says “marginal” but the raw numbers are telling a different story for the morning. This is the only session with a score of 3 out of 10, and it’s the clear winner.

After that, the swell drops back. Tuesday the 18th morning has a cleaner 4 ft swell from the east with a 10-second period, and a gentle offshore wind from the SE at 12 mph. That’s a nice, clean morning for a more intermediate surfer. The energy is moderate (303).

Then we drop into a long, flat run. From Wednesday the 19th all the way through to Tuesday the 26th, the swell is small, weak, and the wind is almost always cross-offshore or onshore. The combined energy hardly ever goes above 200 (48 to 250). The waves are mostly 3 ft to 5 ft with short periods of 6 to 8 seconds. It’s a long gap of poor to marginal conditions. The standout to circle is definitely Monday the 17th, and maybe the Tuesday 18th morning as a backup.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off for anything decent. The big, powerful swell on Monday the 17th is the one to get excited about, but it’s for experts only. After that, we’re looking at a long, slow period until the very end of the window. Don’t get your hopes up for the second week.

Rusty.

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