San Juan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’ve got a rough one for ya. We’re looking at a 16-day window for the San Juan (San Juan) area, and honestly, it’s a tough stretch. There’s a solid week of nothing worth paddling out for, from now until the 12th of September. The wind is howling onshore from the north-northeast, blowing 15 to 22 mph, and the swell is a messy, short-period windswell—5 ft to 7 ft, but with periods around 7-8 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (351), but it’s all chop and no shape. The water temp is about average for this time of year.

We finally get a little breather on the morning of Sunday the 13th. The wind drops to 3 mph from the east-northeast, but it’s still cross-onshore so the surface won’t be glassy. The swell is a weak 4 ft from the north at 8 seconds, with energy at 274. It’s marginal, with questionable tide, and the wave comment says “marginal surf forecast.” It’s a 1/10 kind of day. Not a standout, just a “maybe if you’re desperate” moment.

Monday the 14th morning brings a 3 ft swell from the north-northwest, but the period jumps to 12 seconds—that’s a long-period groundswell. The energy is moderate (374), and the wind is light from the north at 6 mph, still cross-onshore. With that long period, the waves will have more punch and shape, but at a reef break like San Juan, that long-period swell can sometimes make it a bit too straight and fast. It’s still marginal and only a 1/10. The combined energy is 374.

Then it’s back to poor conditions for days. But hold on—Tuesday the 22nd of September morning shows some promise. The swell is 4 ft from the north-northwest, but the period hits 15 seconds—that’s a very long groundswell. The combined energy jumps to 750 (moderate to strong). The wind is onshore from the north-northeast at 12 mph, which is the main bummer, keeping it from being clean. The wave comment still says “poor surf conditions,” so it’s not a green light. This is a long-range call, so keep an eye on the wind forecasts.

The best true standout in this window? It’s that Tuesday the 22nd morning. The swell is 4 ft from the north-northwest, period 15 seconds, and energy at 750. If that wind backs off or goes offshore, San Juan (San Juan) could fire with some solid, long-period groundswell. But as it stands, with that onshore breeze, it’s a promise that might not deliver. The rest of the period is mostly a bust.

Rusty out.

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