Punta Huanchaco Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ over the next couple of weeks.

Alright, so the main story here is Punta Huanchaco. It’s a point break that’s real consistent and perfect for beginners. The water temp is sitting at 71°, which is a solid 7° warmer than what’s normal for this time of year. That’s really unusual, so you’re looking at a tropical-style bath.

We kick things off on Saturday, August 15, but honestly, it’s a bit tough to get excited. The swell is only 4 ft of SW groundswell with a nice long 14-second period, but the wind’s blowing cross-off at 12 to 16 mph. It’s clean, but the wave comment says it’s marginal and the energy is moderate at 641. The score is low. It’s the same story through Sunday, with a similar 4 ft to 4 ft swell and cross-off winds, but it’s just not firing. There’s a long gap of nothing special here.

Then, we get a little flicker on Monday morning, August 17. The swell drops slightly to 4 ft, period bumps to 15 seconds, and the energy climbs to 733. The wind eases to a gentle 9 mph cross-off, and the comment says “expect very good surf conditions”. That Monday morning is the first real standout chance, but it’s brief. The afternoon goes back to marginal.

Tuesday the 18th is a mixed bag. The morning is dead with 3 ft, but by the afternoon, a pulse of 6 ft SSW swell at 14 seconds rolls in, with energy jumping to a strong 1230. The wind is cross-off at 16 mph though, keeping it clean but a bit bumpy. The size is pushing into the “too big for beginners” zone.

Wednesday the 19th holds that 6 ft of SSW swell, but the period drops to 11 seconds in the morning and 10 seconds in the arvo. The wind stays cross-off and clean. Energy is strong (823 morning, 793 afternoon), but the scores are still low.

Now, Thursday the 20th is interesting. The swell is 5 ft from the SSW, period drops to 9 seconds, energy is moderate at 407. The wind is a light 6 mph cross-off in the morning, and the comment says “expect good surf conditions”. That’s a decent window for a mid-range size.

Friday the 21st sees the swell drop to 4 ft, and the wind switches to a light cross-shore. It’s not as clean. From Saturday the 22nd through to Wednesday the 27th, it’s mostly tiny – 1 ft to 3 ft swells with long periods (14 to 20 seconds) and light to moderate cross-off or cross winds. The energy stays moderate, and the comments flip between “marginal” and “good”. There’s nothing that screams “go now” in that stretch.

But hold on. Friday, August 28, is a full week away, and it’s looking like the absolute standout of the whole forecast. The morning shows 4 ft of SW groundswell with a 17-second period, light 6 mph cross-off wind, and an energy reading of 1163. The comment says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers”. That’s the one. The afternoon goes a little cross-shore and the energy jumps to 1527, but it’s less clean. Saturday the 29th keeps the size up at 6 ft to 6 ft, with a 14-second period and strong energy (1467 to 1336), but the winds are mixed. The high end of that 6 ft is expert-only territory, but it’s still promising. Sunday the 30th backs off to 5 ft and moderate energy.

So, if you’re looking for the best on offer, Monday morning the 17th is a nice clean session for the average punter. But the real highlight, the one you want to mark on the calendar, is Friday morning the 28th – that’s the pick of the bunch. It’s a long-range prospect, so keep an eye on it.

Keep it between the flags.

Rusty

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