Surf Forecasts:
La Bocana surf forecast from 22 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 29 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 18s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 16s period, SSW swell with 1,170 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 22 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 14s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for La Bocana this week:
The surf forecast for La Bocana over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at La Bocana in the next 16 days are 1.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for La Bocana over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s break it down in feet and Fahrenheit.
First thing you need to know: the water is sitting at 87°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. It’s a nice little bonus.
The overall picture for the next couple of weeks is a slow burn, with a definite ramp-up in energy towards the end. The first week is all about small, clean morning windows, but the real grunt – the kind of swell that gets your heart rate up – doesn’t arrive until the very end of the month and into the first week of September.
We kick off this Saturday morning, the 22nd of August. It’s small, with a 3ft south swell, but the wind is dead calm, glassy as a mirror. The energy is light (352), but it’s clean and rideable. The real standout this week? Look at Sunday the 23rd, and Monday the 24th. Both mornings are glassy, with a 3ft SSW swell, and the energy is picking up (501 and 534). The period is a long 14 to 18 seconds, so those waves will have some real push to them for such a small face. That’s a classic groundswell. For a river mouth like La Bocana, that long period usually means better shaped lines, but it can also make the take-off a bit more critical depending on the tide. Still, those are the best windows in the first week.
Now, the gap between the small stuff and the big stuff is noticeable. The mornings from Tuesday the 25th through to Friday the 28th are all glassy or clean, but the swell drops off to 2ft – 3ft. It’s still surfable, but nothing to get excited about.
Then we hit the jackpot. Saturday the 29th of August. The morning is a game-changer. We’re looking at a 5ft SW swell, with glassy conditions and a 16-second period. The combined energy is a massive 1211, which is strong. That’s a proper push. It’s still only 5ft, so it’s a good size for a range of surfers, but with that period, it’s going to have some serious grunt. The afternoon gets a bit bigger at 5ft, but the wind swings cross-on, so stick to the morning.
Sunday the 30th is also a gem – 5ft SW swell, glassy again, with 829 energy. Better get on it.
But the true standout, the one you circle on the calendar, is Friday the 4th of September. This is for the experienced crew. The morning delivers a 6ft SSW swell, with a 18-second period. The energy is an absolute beast at 1881. Glassy conditions. That’s as good as it gets. The next morning, Saturday the 5th, is also firing with a 6ft SSW swell, offshore wind, and clean conditions. These are the sessions you’ll be telling your mates about. The swell is over 5ft, so it’s not for beginners, but for the rest of us, it’s a dream run.
Remember, La Bocana is a river mouth, and it’s inconsistent. It doesn’t always fire. But when it does, like it’s set to do at the end of this forecast, it’s special. Crowds are listed as "sometimes", so you might have some company, but with this much energy, there will be plenty of waves to go around.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 32°C on Sat morning, min 26°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 32°C on Tue morning, min 26°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 11 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 19 | SW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
188 | 194 | 239 | 232 | 225 | 286 | 280 | 312 | 351 | 268 | 173 | 248 | 156 | 110 | 104 | 124 | 209 | 117 | 330 | 261 | 1124 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | off | glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | on | off | glassy | on | off | glassy | cross-on | off | cross-off | glassy | off | off | glassy | glassy |
High Tide | 9:45AM1.71m | 10:21PM1.42m | 10:47AM1.68m | 11:29PM1.43m | 11:48AM1.70m | 00:30AM1.50m | 12:44PM1.75m | 1:21AM1.60m | 1:33PM1.82m | 2:05AM1.73m | 2:16PM1.89m | 2:45AM1.86m | 2:57PM1.94m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:22PM0.62m | 4:18AM0.68m | 5:27PM0.61m | 5:24AM0.68m | 6:26PM0.57m | 6:26AM0.64m | 7:14PM0.49m | 7:19AM0.57m | 7:56PM0.41m | 8:06AM0.48m | 8:34PM0.34m | 8:49AM0.39m | 9:09PM0.27m | ||||||||
5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | |
— | 6:15 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:10 | — | |
mm | — | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 32 | 30 | 27 | 32 | 30 | 28 | 32 | 30 | 28 | 32 | 30 | 27 | 32 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 32 | 29 |
Feels °C | 33 | 33 | 29 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 31 | 34 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 34 | 31 | 33 | 34 | 33 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 | SSE 9 | SE 7 | SSW 17 | SE 8 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SSE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SSW 16 | SSE 7 | SW 18 |
188 | 146 | 141 | 232 | 225 | 286 | 116 | 54 | 351 | 201 | 173 | 248 | 35 | 29 | 28 | 54 | 49 | 28 | 330 | 86 | 1124 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 7 | SE 7 | SSW 14 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | SSW 12 | SW 18 | S 9 | SW 16 | S 9 | SE 7 | SSW 15 | SW 15 | S 8 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SW 14 | SSE 7 | SW 16 | SW 8 |
33 | 57 | 239 | 121 | 92 | 81 | 138 | 312 | 61 | 268 | 41 | 29 | 156 | 110 | 29 | 106 | 209 | 103 | 43 | 261 | 101 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SE 6 | SSW 19 | SE 7 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 | S 10 | SE 6 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SW 15 | SSW 17 | SW 20 | SSW 19 | SE 7 |
131 | 194 | 24 | 148 | 43 | 149 | 280 | 65 | 25 | 56 | 50 | 40 | 38 | 34 | 104 | 124 | 104 | 117 | 306 | 243 | 56 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 3 | — | — | SSE 3 | — | NE 3 | SSE 8 | — | — | SE 7 | W 5 | — | — | — | NNE 2 | — | NW 6 | — | — | — |
— | 2 | — | — | 3 | — | 3 | 105 | — | — | 71 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 317 | 0 | 0 | 518 | 0 | 0 | 502 | 0 | 0 | 346 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in El-Salvador - Costa del Balsamo | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in El Salvador | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the La Bocana Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for La Bocana provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at La Bocana can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our La Bocana 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 (La Bocana) 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 La Bocana 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.
La Bocana is 6 km (4 miles) from the city of La Libertad. If you plan a holiday in El-Salvador - Costa del Balsamo, look for hotels and other accommodation in La Libertad. La Libertad has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











