Pampilla Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Pampilla has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

Look, I'll be straight with you – this is a pretty tough run for Pampilla. We've got some decent sized swell on the way, especially in the middle of next week, but the wind is almost always going to mess it up for us. It's a real shame because the reef can handle a good SW groundswell, but for most of the forecast, we're looking at a persistent cross-onshore wind that'll turn the surface to chop.

The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. Don't forget your booties for the reef.

Let's start from Sunday the 16th. We get a bit of a glimpse of hope early with a 4ft SW groundswell with a solid 13-second period and light cross-shore winds. It's only a 2 out of 10 in my book because it's marginal with the tide, but it's the only half-way decent session for a while. The combined swell energy is moderate (649). After that, the south winds kick in and it's all cross-on and choppy from Sunday afternoon right through till Wednesday the 19th.

Tuesday the 18th sees the swell really pump up – we're looking at 6ft to 7ft from the SW with a 13-second period. That's a lot of juice (energy hitting 1308 to 1518), but the wind is a solid 12-16 mph cross-onshore. It'll be a bumpy, messy mess. Honestly, if you're into kite surfing, that Tuesday might be your window – for paddling, it's a write-off.

Wednesday the 19th stays big and onshore, and we get into Thursday the 20th with a 7ft SSW swell and finally some offshore wind in the morning. The period drops to 9 seconds though, so it's weaker wind swell, not that grunty groundswell we were seeing. It's still marginal with only a 2/10.

We then go through a long, flat spell. From Friday the 21st all the way to Tuesday the 26th, the swell drops way down to under 3ft, with onshore or cross-onshore winds. It's basically five days of nothing worth paddling out for.

The best chance in the whole outlook comes right at the tail end. On Monday the 31st of August, we have a nice 5ft SW groundswell with a 13-second period. The wind is a light 3 mph breeze from the south, which is cross-onshore, but so light it's almost glassy. The combined energy is a solid 1401, and I'm giving it a 3/10 – which is the highest score in the whole 16 days. It's still marginal, but for Pampilla over the next two weeks, that's about as good as it gets.

The morning of Thursday the 27th also shows some promise with a 3ft SW swell and offshore wind, but the size is minimal.

So, my recommendation? Set your alarm for the morning of Sunday the 16th for a quick, cleanish session, and definitely keep an eye on the 31st. That's your standout window, but remember it's a long way out – the forecast could change. This is a real waiting game at Pampilla this August.

Rusty out.

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