Playa de Gros Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on the menu for Playa de Gros over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I’ve got to be straight with you – we’re looking at a pretty flat, glassy little run of waves for the first few days. The water is sitting at a very unusual 77°, which is a whopping 7° warmer than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be sweating in your wettie on the beach. The swell energy is weak, clocking in at just 36 (moderate energy), so the first window is a no-go.

Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th are a write-off. The swell is small and messy, with onshore winds hitting 12 to 19 mph on Saturday, making it choppy and poor. The water is warm, but that’s about the only good thing. Sunday the 26th stays in the same boat with onshore wind and rain showers, keeping the surface bumped up.

Now, Monday the 27th is a tease. The swell picks up a bit – 5 ft from the NW – but the wind is cross-onshore, and the guidance says it’s marginal. The energy is moderate (396), but the wind just isn’t your friend. We’ve got a bit of a wait.

Tuesday the 28th is where it gets interesting. The morning looks clean, with a light ESE breeze creating glassy conditions. The swell is a solid 4 ft from the NW, with a period of 10 seconds, giving it some shape. The energy is moderate (322), and the wind is cross-offshore, so the waves should be holding their line. This is one of the better windows in the first week, but it’s not a standout.

Wednesday the 29th morning is your real chance. The wind is glassy again, from the NW, and the swell is 4 ft from the same direction. The period is 9 seconds, so it’s a bit more local, but the glassy conditions mean clean, smooth faces. The energy is moderate (202). This is a solid morning for a beginner to get some fun, clean waves.

The rest of the week drops off again. Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st are back to weak, choppy, and small. The energy drops to 97 and 84, so you’re looking at knee-high dribble.

Now, the second week. Look, I’ll keep it short. The first week is a bit of a wash, but the second week shows some promise. The conditions are still a bit hairy.

Sunday, August 2nd is the standout. The morning is clean again, with a light ESE wind creating cross-offshore conditions. The swell is 5 ft from the NW, with a period of 11 seconds – that’s a better, longer period. The energy is moderate (484). This is a good, solid NW groundswell. The wind is clean, so the waves will be well-shaped and hold their form. The water is still warm, but no anomaly data is given for that day. This is the best window of the whole forecast.

Monday, August 3rd sees the swell increase to 6 ft with a 11-second period, and the energy jumps to 770 (strong). That’s a proper swell. The wind is onshore from the NNW at 6 mph, which is okay, but it’s not glassy. The height is getting into the “too big for beginners” zone, but it’s not expert-only yet. The period is long, so expect proper groundswell lines. The wind is onshore, so it might be a bit lumpy, but the energy is there.

After that, the swell fades again through the rest of the week, with small, poor conditions from the 4th to the 8th. The wind stays onshore, so it’s a slow end to the run.

Bottom line: If you’re a beginner, Wednesday the 29th morning is your best bet for clean, small waves. If you’re intermediate and want a proper session, mark your calendar for Sunday, August 2nd – that’s the one. The long period groundswell will be best at the point, but at Playa de Gros, the beach break might get a bit straight. Still, it’s the best energy of the whole two weeks. The second week is more promising than the first, but it’s a long wait.

Rusty.

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