Playa de Barrika Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the Basque coast.

To be straight with you, the next couple of weeks look pretty grim for Playa de Barrika. We're looking at a long stretch of flat, weak surf with no real standout windows. The water is sitting at 74°F, which is 4° warmer than normal for this time of year, so it's notably warm, but that's about the only highlight.

The first solid hope doesn't arrive until Thursday, August 6th. The morning brings a bit of a pulse from the northwest, with 3ft swell at 8 seconds, and a clean offshore wind from the northeast. The combined energy is still weak though, at 118. It's surfable, but very ordinary. The afternoon builds a little more energy to 139, and the wind stays clean off the NE, but it's still a small, weak wave. The period is short, so don't expect any real power.

After that, it's back to poor conditions. The period from the 7th to the 13th is a write-off. We get a few glassy mornings on the 7th and 12th, but the swell is tiny—2ft or less—and the energy is pitiful. There's a bigger spike on Sunday, August 9th, with 4ft swell from the NNW and energy hitting 211, but the wind is cross-shore and the surf quality is still rated as poor. Not worth paddling out.

The following week doesn't offer much either. Monday, August 17th shows a 4ft NW swell with a longer period of 11 seconds and energy of 334, which is moderate. But again, the wind is cross-shore and the conditions are described as poor. The break is a reef, and it's inconsistent, rarely breaking, and when it does, it's small and weak. Honestly, for a beginner reef break that's sheltered and needs a specific NW swell, this is a barren run.

If you're looking for something to do, the wind is better for the kite guys than for us on a proper surfboard. The beach-and-reef setup here just isn't firing.

Rusty.

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