Playa El Palmar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the table for Playa El Palmar over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, mate, it’s a flat spell and a half. We’re looking at a long stretch of small, weak surf with very little energy. The water is a warm 73°, which is perfectly normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t freeze waiting for a ripple.

We kick off on Wednesday the 26th of August, but there’s nothing to get excited about. A tiny 1ft to 2ft swell from the west with a short period of 7 seconds and onshore wind. The wave energy is weak (25-34). It’s a sorry sight. Thursday and Friday are more of the same with onshore winds and even smaller swell, though Friday afternoon does see a jump in energy to 237 (moderate) with a 4ft swell from the WNW, but the 19 mph cross-onshore wind will ruin it.

Saturday the 29th of August is the closest we get to a highlight. The morning brings a clean 2ft swell from the west and a light offshore easterly breeze at 3 mph. The afternoon goes glassy with a 2ft swell. The combined energy is very weak, only 51 and 30, but it’s the cleanest conditions of the whole forecast. For a longboard or a foamie, you might get a few fun little runners. The swell is coming from the west, which is not the optimum southwest direction for this sandbar, but when it’s this small and clean, you take what you can get.

Sunday the 30th of August and Monday the 31st stay small with clean, offshore winds in the mornings, but the swell is fading fast, dropping to 1ft. The energy is in the double digits (10-23). It’s flat, mate.

From Tuesday the 1st of September right through to the end of the forecast on Thursday the 10th of September, it’s a dead zone. The swell never gets above 3ft, and the period stays short or moderate. There’s a brief moment on Wednesday the 2nd of September in the morning with a glassy 3ft swell and a 55 energy reading, but it’s the only day described as “surfable,” and it’s still very ordinary. After that, it’s pure clean-offshore flatness. The 5th of September sees a tiny 0.3ft swell with a very long period of 15 seconds, but that’s just a ghost.

So, the standout is Saturday the 29th of August. It’s not a classic, but that glassy afternoon window with the light offshore in the morning gives you the best chance of a clean wave. The rest of the run is a write-off for a paddle surfer. Honestly, if you see a bit of wind on those bigger afternoons, this beach setup might be more interesting for a kite. Keep an eye on the long-range, but for now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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