Surf Forecasts:
Plentzia surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period, NW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 21 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 11s period, NW swell with 538 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period with NW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Plentzia this week:
The surf forecast for Plentzia over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 10s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Plentzia in the next 16 days are 1.6m 11s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 5AM. 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+) | 8PM (Fri 21st Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Fri 21st Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Plentzia over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Plentzia. I’m gonna level with you straight up – this is a tough run. The whole 16-day window is a real struggle. There’s a massive gap of poor conditions right from the start, and it’s not until the morning of Saturday the 29th of August that we finally see something that’s even surfable, and even then it’s just ‘ordinary’. The water is running at about 75° – that’s much warmer than normal for this time of year, which is a weird one.
Plentzia is a sheltered beginner spot that rarely breaks, and that’s exactly the problem. The swell direction is mostly from the NW and NNW, which isn’t its optimum. The wind is a mess for most of it, with onshore and cross-on conditions, and the combined swell energy is weak, often below 100, with a few moderate spikes that don’t deliver. For instance, the morning of Thursday the 20th sees a moderate 263 energy, but it’s ruined by onshore wind. The afternoon of the 21st has a solid 469 energy with 5ft swell from the NW, but again, onshore wind kills it. It’s almost like the setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing for most of this period.
The one and only standout is the morning of Saturday the 29th of August. We get glassy conditions with a 4ft swell from the NW, period of 9 seconds, and a combined energy of 202. The wind is glass, which is a huge positive. But it’s still just a ‘surfable waves but very ordinary conditions’ kind of morning. The crowd situation is ‘sometimes’, so you might get a few others with the same idea. For a spot that rarely breaks, this is actually noteworthy. It’s a small window of clean, small waves for a beginner. The rest of the period is a write-off, with the morning of the 2nd of September also showing glassy, but with only 2ft and 66 energy – not enough to get excited about.
So, if you’re desperate, pencil in Saturday the 29th of August morning. Otherwise, it’s a long wait with nothing to write home about.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Warm (max 23°C on Tue afternoon, min 19°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 23mm), heaviest during Sat morning. Warm (max 20°C on Sun afternoon, min 17°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NW 7 | NNW 6 | WNW 8 | NW 13 | NW 11 | NNW 10 | NW 11 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 8 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
45 | 35 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 134 | 263 | 367 | 515 | 469 | 469 | 341 | 203 | 190 | 169 | 121 | 77 | 89 | 91 | 72 | 25 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross | on | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 8:55AM3.25m | 9:14PM3.18m | 9:34AM3.02m | 9:58PM2.87m | 10:23AM2.79m | 10:57PM2.61m | 11:32AM2.61m | 00:26AM2.46m | 1:10PM2.57m | 2:03AM2.51m | 2:31PM2.72m | 3:07AM2.69m | 3:25PM2.94m | 3:51AM2.90m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:59PM0.65m | 3:22AM0.81m | 3:45PM0.94m | 4:08AM1.10m | 4:41PM1.20m | 5:09AM1.34m | 5:58PM1.37m | 6:33AM1.45m | 7:29PM1.37m | 7:57AM1.37m | 8:41PM1.20m | 8:59AM1.17m | 9:32PM0.97m | ||||||||
7:18 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:10 | — | — | 9:08 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:06 | — | — | 9:04 | — | — | 9:02 | — | — | 9:00 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 3 | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 7 | 3 |
Temp °C | 22 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 |
Feels °C | 25 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 5 | NNW 6 | NNW 5 | NW 13 | NW 11 | NNW 10 | NW 11 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 8 | — | NW 7 | NW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 |
45 | 35 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 134 | 263 | 367 | 515 | 469 | 469 | 341 | 203 | 190 | 169 | — | 77 | 89 | 91 | 72 | 25 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NW 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 10 | — | NW 9 |
— | — | 7 | 6 | 6 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | WNW 8 | — | NW 11 | W 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 7 |
— | — | 6 | — | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 121 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 4 | 499 | 432 | 384 | 479 | 6 | 15 | 89 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 21 | 64 | 441 | 522 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Pais Vasco | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Spain (Europe) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Information about the Plentzia Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Plentzia provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Plentzia can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Plentzia 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 (Plentzia) 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 Plentzia 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.
Plentzia is 8 km (5 miles) from the city of Getxo. If you plan a holiday in Pais Vasco, look for hotels and other accommodation in Getxo. Getxo has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











