La Preciosa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your board and let’s get into it. It’s Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at this forecast for La Preciosa for a while now. I gotta be straight with you: the next week and a half are going to be a real grind for surfers. The ocean’s going to have waves, but they’re going to be junk. We’re looking at a long stretch of cross-off winds and short-period, weak energy.

The water temp is sitting at 84°F, which is about 0.9°F warmer than average for this time of year, so it’s not a big deal, just a touch warm as usual.

For the next several days, from the 18th through the 24th, we've got a persistent run of poor surf. The swell is small, mostly around 3ft to 4ft, coming from the east with periods of 6 to 8 seconds. That’s short-period windswell, and the energy is weak, with combined energy readings mostly in the 90s to 180s range. The winds are cross-off from the east, which makes the surface messy and lumpy. It's the kind of surf that’s a waste of sunscreen. Don't get too excited.

It’s not until the 25th that we see a slight shift. Tuesday morning the wind finally goes offshore, and we get a bit of life in the water. Swell is still just 4ft from the east at 7 seconds, with energy at 149, but it's at least surfable. It’s not good, but you won’t be completely skunked. The rest of that day is back to cross-off and poor.

Then we hit a weird phase from the 26th through the 28th. The swell period jumps up to 11-13 seconds, which brings the energy up to a more moderate range (236 to 267). The problem is the swell height drops off. We're talking 2ft to 4ft. So you have these long-period, clean-ish waves, but they're weak and fat. It’s marginal at best. The period is long, but the size just isn’t there to make it worthwhile.

The 29th and 30th go back to that weak, short-period stuff, and we’re back to square one. The first of September looks similar, more of the same.

Now, here’s the one glimmer of hope. On September 2nd, we get another bump in period and energy. Wednesday morning we see 3ft at 11 seconds with energy at 345, and that afternoon it jumps to 4ft at 12 seconds with energy climbing to 449. The wind is still cross-off, though, which will hold it back, but this is the most powerful swell in the whole 16-day run. It’s still not going to be perfect, but it’s the only day that looks like it’ll have some actual push behind it. It’s a long-range call, so don't book your flights yet. It's promising, but it's far out, and the wind could mess it up.

Honestly, this is a brutal stretch. The whole setup is disorganized. The east swell is hitting this reef, but it's just not working. It’s like the ocean can't make up its mind. If you're desperate, that Tuesday morning on the 25th or that Wednesday on September 2nd are your best shots, but even then, manage your expectations. This isn't a time for heroics. It's a time to maybe check the tide charts and go for a swim instead.

There is no real standout in this whole period. It's all poor to marginal. The forecast is a long, flat, and cross-windy nightmare. I know it's tough, but sometimes you just have to wait it out.

Stay patient.

Rusty.

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