Mundaka Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the 16-day outlook for Mundaka is a tough one. We’re looking at a long, lean stretch with very little proper surf on the cards. The good news is that Mundaka is a consistent wave, so a blank run like this isn’t the norm – forecasts can and do change, so don’t lose hope just yet.

The pattern shows a small pulse of energy arriving on Saturday, the 4th of July, but it’s nothing to write home about. That morning, you’ve got a glassy, clean surface with light NW winds at 3 mph, and a small 3 ft NW swell rolling in with a 10-second period. The wave energy is weak, sitting at 150, so those waves are small and weak. Water temps are a notable 73°, which is much warmer than usual for this time of year – a solid 6° above average. That said, the surf is only “surfable but very ordinary” and the score is low. That’s your only real shot for a surf, and it’s a poor one for any experienced surfer.

After that Saturday morning, the window slams shut. From Sunday, the 5th of July, all the way through to Friday, the 17th of July, it’s a grim run of poor surf conditions. We’re talking tiny swells, most under 3 ft, with cross-onshore or choppy winds ruining any chance of a clean wave. The energy levels drop into double digits – pathetic numbers like 37 or 27 – and the period is often short, around 8 seconds or less, so the waves are weak and lumpy. Don’t even think about paddling out.

There’s a tiny flicker of hope on Saturday, the 11th of July, when a short-period 5 ft WNW swell hits, but with 16 mph cross-shore winds, it’s a messy, choppy mess. The combined energy (238) is moderate, but the wind kills it. That setup is honestly more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. Then on Sunday, the 12th, we see a 6 ft NW swell (energy 535 – now we’re talking moderate strength) but with cross-onshore winds, it’s still poor. A marginal Monday on the 13th with 6 ft NW swell (energy 580) but again, cross-onshore winds keep it from cleaning up.

The standout – if you can even call it that – is the very first Saturday morning, the 4th of July, at Mundaka itself (Spain). That 3 ft NW swell with glassy conditions is the only time the river mouth might offer a few small, clean waves. But with such weak energy, it’s really only for the most desperate or beginners who want a splash. For the experts, there’s nothing worth the paddle.

The gap between that Saturday and the next possible chance is a full week of nothing. From the 11th onward, you’ve got some size (5 ft to 6 ft) but it’s constantly ruined by wind. By the second week, from the 14th of July onward, it’s back to tiny swells under 3 ft with poor conditions. The 17th of July morning shows clean, cross-offshore winds but only 1 ft of swell – too small to ride.

So, the bottom line: one very ordinary morning on the 4th of July, then a long, dry spell. Keep an eye on that forecast – Mundaka rarely stays this quiet for long.

Rusty.

Read more