Playa Poniente Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: this outlook for the next 16 days is a tough one, and I'm not gonna sugarcoat it. We’re looking at a long stretch of flat, gutless conditions here. The first real surf recommendation doesn't kick in until the 27th of July, and even then, it’s a struggle.

The whole 16-day window is dominated by tiny, short-period windswell, with the combined energy of all swells directed here barely getting into the double digits – peaking at a measly 54 (moderate energy) on the 29th, but usually sitting in the weak range below 100. The water is swimming-pool warm at 84°, a massive 6° above normal, which is very unusual for this time of year.

July 27 – July 31
We kick off on Monday the 27th of July. The wind is onshore from the SE at 9 mph, and we’ve got a tiny 1ft E swell at a short 5 seconds. That’s not even worth the walk down the sand. The combined energy is a weak 5. It’s a no-go.

Tuesday the 28th of July offers a glimmer. The morning is glassy, with a 1ft ESE swell. The period is still short at 4 seconds, but the glassy conditions will make it look as good as it can. The combined energy is only 11, so it’s weak. By afternoon, a light SSE wind kicks in, making it messy.

The 29th has the biggest swell of the period, coming in at 3ft from the SE, but it’s still short-period at 6 seconds and the wind is cross-onshore from the ENE. It’s poor surf, but if you’re desperate, this is the "biggest" wave of the week. The energy hits 54 here.

The rest of the week through to the 31st is a rinse and repeat of tiny, weak, and onshore or glassy micro-swell. Nothing to get excited about.

August 1 – August 11
Heading into August, the first few days are a write-off. The swell drops to 2ft or less with periods of 4-5 seconds. The wind is a mix of glassy mornings and light breezes, but the wave size is just too small. On August 1st, we get a nice cross-offshore wind from the SW, but the swell is a pathetic 2ft with a combined energy of just 15. It’s clean, but it’s barely a ripple.

The rest of the first week of August is the same story. August 5th has a brief spike of 2ft from the NE, but it’s onshore and the energy jumps to 40. Still, the quality is reported as poor.

The second week is even worse. From August 8th through the 11th, the swell is consistently under 2ft. The only highlight of the tail end is a strong cross-offshore wind from the North on Tuesday the 11th morning, gusting to 16 mph, which would keep the surface clean on a 1ft, 5-second wave. But with combined energy at 8, you’re surfing a puddle. The afternoon of the 11th is a lumpy mess with fresh onshore winds.

The Verdict
Honestly, there is no standout. There is no "best on offer." You’re looking at a 16-day stretch where the best wave is a 3ft weak windswell with a cross-onshore wind. Playa Poniente is a beach and reef setup, and with these tiny, weak conditions, even the kite surfers would be bored. The only positive is that those glassy mornings will have the water flat as a mirror, which is beautiful, but not for surfing.

Rusty.

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