Las Cuevas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

Alright, let’s be straight with you. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a paddle. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak, and messy surf ahead, with a whole lot of "poor surf conditions" dominating the forecast. The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until Monday the 24th of August, but even then, it’s not for the faint of heart.

The water is currently sitting at 50° – that’s a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, which is a nice little bonus if you’re out there, but you’ll be bobbing around on tiny waves.

The first few days, from the 17th through the 23rd, are a write-off. We’re looking at weak, short-period windswell under 3 ft, with cross and cross-onshore winds ruining any chance of a decent wave. The combined wave energy is pathetic, barely cracking 200 (173) on the best of those days. Don’t even bother.

Things pick up a bit on Friday the 21st and into the weekend, with swell hitting 5 ft, but the wind is howling from the south at 18-22 mph. It’s lumpy, choppy, and just plain ugly. The energy jumps up a bit (429-933), but it’s a total mess. This is kite-surfing weather, not surfing weather.

The big standout, the only real highlight in the whole 16 days, is Monday the 24th of August. The swell jumps to 8 ft from the SSE with a proper 13-second period – that’s a long-period groundswell, bringing real energy. The combined wave energy is a massive 1872, so there’s plenty of power. The winds go light from the north, giving us a cross-offshore flow. The report says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers," and that’s exactly what it is. This is a big, powerful swell. At 8 ft, this is expert territory. It’s not for beginners. The long period means it’ll wall up nicely at Las Cuevas, but it’s a reef break, so you need to know what you’re doing. Keep in mind, with that size and power, crowds are possible.

The rest of the week after that drops off quickly. Tuesday the 25th still has some clean, cross-off waves from the SSE at 4 ft, with moderate energy (478), but it’s a big step down from Monday. By Wednesday and Thursday it’s back to tiny, weak stuff under 3 ft.

So, the call is simple: if you’re an experienced surfer, you wait for Monday the 24th of August. That’s your day. Everything else is a no-go or a downgrade. The second week of September looks like a ghost town, with nothing but onshore wind and tiny, weak swell.

Rusty.

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