Surf Forecasts:
Playa de Gaztetape surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 11s period, NW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 21 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 11s period, NW swell with 568 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 17 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 7s period with NW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Playa de Gaztetape this week:
The surf forecast for Playa de Gaztetape over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 17) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Playa de Gaztetape in the next 16 days are 1.6m 11s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Playa de Gaztetape over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' out there.
Well, to be honest, it’s a slow start. We’ve got a bit of a dry spell to kick things off, but the back half of this 16-day window is where it gets real interesting for those who can wait.
For the first couple of days, Monday and Tuesday, the surf is pretty flat and weak. The water’s warm though – a solid 77°, which is much warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s a nice touch if you’re just hanging out. We’re looking at tiny 1ft to 2ft swell with hardly any energy behind it. Not worth paddling out for. The wind is light, and on Tuesday morning it goes glassy, but there’s just nothing to ride.
The real turning point comes Thursday morning, the 20th of August. Finally, some life! Playa de Gaztetape sees a nice jump to a 4ft groundswell from the NW, with a sweet 11-second period. The energy is moderate, and we get glassy conditions. That’s the first session to look at. The swell builds through Friday morning the 21st, hitting 5ft from the NW with a 10-second period and strong energy, and again, glassy winds. That’s the best of the first week right there.
After that, things fade again over the weekend and into the start of the following week, with smaller NW swell and messy cross-onshore winds.
Now, for the true standouts. Keep your eyes on Friday the 28th of August. Thursday morning the 28th sees a solid 6ft NW groundswell with a 12-second period – that's long-period groundswell energy. The combined energy is pumping, and it’s glassy. This is the one. It’ll be a bit bigger than the previous week, offering good shape. Just a heads up, that long period can make beach breaks wall up, but Playa de Gaztetape handles it well.
Then, the absolute highlight if you’re an experienced surfer: Tuesday morning, the 1st of September. This is the big one. We’re looking at an 8ft NW groundswell with a 14-second period. That’s very long-period groundswell. The energy is massive. It’s glassy. This is expert territory for sure, but the conditions are forecast to be excellent. The swell direction matches the break’s optimum. This is the session you want. Get ready for that.
So, the long-range call on that 1st of September swell is the standout, though it’s less certain this far out. The 28th of August is a safer, still very solid bet. The first week is mostly a wait-and-see, but the payoff at the end looks brilliant.
Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Mon afternoon, min 18°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Thu morning. Warm (max 21°C on Thu morning, min 18°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 7 | NW 8 | NW 6 | NNW 9 | NW 8 | NW 7 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NW 13 | NW 11 | NW 11 | NW 11 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 7 | NW 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
43 | 36 | 32 | 52 | 23 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 104 | 298 | 361 | 568 | 498 | 384 | 299 | 179 | 145 | 75 | 60 | 39 | 82 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:16AM3.47m | 8:34PM3.50m | 8:53AM3.25m | 9:13PM3.18m | 9:33AM3.01m | 9:57PM2.87m | 10:21AM2.78m | 10:55PM2.61m | 11:30AM2.61m | 00:25AM2.46m | 1:08PM2.57m | 2:02AM2.51m | 2:30PM2.71m | 3:06AM2.69m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:16PM0.37m | 2:40AM0.51m | 2:57PM0.64m | 3:20AM0.81m | 3:43PM0.93m | 4:06AM1.10m | 4:39PM1.19m | 5:07AM1.34m | 5:56PM1.37m | 6:31AM1.45m | 7:27PM1.36m | 7:55AM1.37m | 8:39PM1.20m | ||||||||
7:15 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:08 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:06 | — | — | 9:05 | — | — | 9:02 | — | — | 9:00 | — | — | 9:00 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 4 |
Temp °C | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 7 | NW 8 | NW 6 | NNW 9 | NNW 5 | NNW 5 | NNW 6 | WNW 8 | NW 13 | NW 11 | NW 11 | NW 11 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 7 | NW 8 |
43 | 36 | 32 | 52 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 104 | 298 | 361 | 568 | 498 | 384 | 299 | 179 | 145 | 75 | 60 | 39 | 82 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | NW 8 | NW 9 | NW 8 | NW 7 | WNW 8 | NW 11 | NW 7 | NW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | W 11 | W 11 | WNW 10 | NNE 4 | WNW 8 | — |
14 | 17 | 9 | 28 | 23 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 7 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NW 10 | — | — | WNW 8 | — | NW 7 | WNW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 9 | — | — |
— | — | 4 | — | — | 6 | — | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 4 | — | NE 4 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | — | 3 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 143 | 41 | 4 | 0 | 557 | 493 | 479 | 445 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 38 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 38 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 150 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Pais Vasco | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Spain (Europe) | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Playa de Gaztetape Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Playa de Gaztetape provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Playa de Gaztetape can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Playa de Gaztetape surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Playa de Gaztetape) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Playa de Gaztetape may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Playa de Gaztetape is 4 km (2 miles) from Zarautz. If you plan a holiday in Pais Vasco, look for hotels and other accommodation in Zarautz. Zarautz has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











