La Preciosa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming for La Preciosa.

Right off the bat, the next week and a half is pretty flat and uninspiring. We’ve got a solid chunk of days from Thursday the 20th right through to Tuesday the 25th where the energy is just too weak and the swell too short-period to get excited about. Swell heights are hanging around 1 ft to 4 ft, mostly from the east, with periods around 6 to 8 seconds. The combined energy is weak, sitting under 200 (mostly between 6 and 154), and every session is being flagged as poor surf. The wind is cross-off from the east or east-southeast, so the surface will be clean, but there’s just not enough push to make it worth paddling out. That’s a long dry spell – nearly a week of nothing.

Things start to look a little more interesting from Wednesday the 26th, but it’s still marginal. Swell pushes up to 6 ft on the Wednesday morning with a period of 8 seconds and energy jumping to 394, but the wave comment says “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” The wind stays cross-off, so it’s clean, but you’re still hunting for a decent wave.

The real standout, and the one you want to circle on the calendar, is Sunday the 30th of August. The morning session is looking the goods – 7 ft of east swell with a period of 9 seconds, energy hitting 693, and the wave comment reads “expect very good surf conditions.” The wind is a gentle 15 km/h cross-off from the east, so it’ll be clean and not too blown out. This is a reef break that’s very consistent, exposed to the east swell, and the optimum direction is from the north, so we’re getting a bit of wrapping energy. That 7 ft is solid for more experienced surfers – advanced level – and with the longer 9-second period, the waves will have some punch. You’ll want to be on your game.

Then Tuesday the 1st of September morning is another cracker – 7 ft east swell, 9 seconds, energy at 739, also “expect very good surf conditions” with light 15 km/h cross-off wind. That’s a back-to-back winner. The Tuesday afternoon gets even bigger – 8 ft from the east, 10-second period, energy soaring to 1101 – but the comment drops to “marginal,” so tide might be tricky. Still, for the experienced crew, that’s a serious swell.

As for the water temp, it’s about average for the time of year, so nothing unusual there.

The break is La Preciosa, a reef setup that’s very consistent and exposed. Crowds are sometimes an issue, but on those standout mornings with good conditions, expect a few others in the water. If you’re a beginner, the 7 ft+ days are going to be too much – this is advanced territory.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off. The real action kicks off on Sunday the 30th of August morning and carries into Tuesday the 1st of September morning. That’s your window. Don’t waste your time before that.

Rusty.

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