Playa de Traba Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s size up the outlook for Playa de Traba.

Right off the bat, the water’s a bit colder than average for this time of year at 63°F, nothing too wild but you’ll feel it. The first few days are a write-off, to be honest. Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th are a mess – rain showers, onshore winds, and lumpy, choppy surf. The combined energy reading spikes to 2250 on Friday morning, but that’s all raw power with no quality. Not worth paddling out for.

Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th are still pretty marginal. You’ll see some chest-high waves, around 5ft to 6ft from the WNW and NW, with cross-off winds, but the period is short, just 8-10 seconds, so the waves lack punch. The energy is moderate (around 316-587). It’s clean enough for a beginner session, but nothing to get excited about.

Now, here’s the standout. Monday the 31st of August. That morning is the pick of the whole forecast. We’ve got glassy conditions with the wind swinging to a light NNW at 3 mph. The swell is a solid 7ft from the NW with a 10-second period, and the combined energy is a strong 850. That’s a proper groundswell with good shape. The cross-on wind in the afternoon is a bit of a letdown, but that morning window is prime for anyone with a bit of experience. The waves will be clean, lined up, and offering some punchy walls. The 7ft size means it’s a bit much for beginners, but for intermediates and above, it’s a goer.

After that, things drop off again. Tuesday through to the end of the first week of September, the swell backs off to 2ft to 5ft, and the wind keeps swinging cross-shore from the NE. It’s not terrible, but it’s inconsistent and weak. A few mornings might offer a tiny ankle-to-knee-high wave, but it’s hardly worth rushing for.

Then, around the 5th of September, we see a pulse of longer-period swell showing up. Saturday the 5th morning has 5ft from the NW with a 12-second period and light NNE winds. The energy is 741 – moderate to strong. The waves will have more push and better shape, but the afternoon turns onshore. The 8th of September (Tuesday) morning also looks promising with a 6ft NW swell at 11 seconds and light NE winds, energy at 833. That’s another one to circle on the calendar, but it’s a week and a half out, so keep an eye on it.

The second week, from the 9th into the 11th, is a bit of a mixed bag. The 9th and 10th have some manageable 5ft to 7ft NW swell, but the wind is mostly cross-shore from the NE, and by the 11th, it’s blowing a strong breeze at 25 mph, which just messes up the surface. The energy is moderate, but the quality’s not there.

To sum it up: The clear winner is Monday 31st August morning at Playa de Traba – glassy, 7ft NW swell, clean conditions. If you can get out then, that’s the session. The 5th and 8th of September mornings are also worth watching for a longer-period groundswell and clean morning winds. The rest of the time is either small, windy, or just plain messy. Don’t expect much from the first weekend or the second half of the second week.

Rusty.

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