San Juan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down the San Juan stretch for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, mate, this whole 16-day forecast is a total write-off for quality surf. Every single record shows poor surf conditions and scores of zero. There’s a big gap right from the start, with no decent waves at all. The only spot in the mix is San Juan (San Juan), a consistent reef that’s strictly for experts, but even it can’t catch a break.

Water temp kicks off at about 75°, which is a touch warmer than the usual for this time of year – not a bad thing if you’re just floating around.

The wind is the real killer. Starting Wednesday August 19th and Thursday the 20th, we’ve got onshore winds from the north at 9–22 mph, with swell around 3 ft to 4 ft and a short period of 8 seconds. The wave energy is weak (146–214). That’s just blown-out, messy slop.

By Friday August 21st and through the weekend of the 22nd–23rd, the swell bumps up to 5 ft to 5 ft, but the period drops to 6–7 seconds, and the onshore wind is still fresh at 16–19 mph. The energy gets moderate (230–458), but it’s all wind chop – no shape, no power.

The next week, from Monday August 24th through the end of the month, the swell builds to 6 ft to 8 ft by the 27th and 28th, with strong energy (up to 807). But the wind stays onshore, mostly from the NNE at 19–25 mph. That’s a setup that screams kite surfing, not paddle surfing. The short period (7–8 seconds) means it’s lumpy and weak, not the kind of power you want, and anything over 8 ft is for experts only.

Even when the period stretches to 11 seconds on the afternoon of September 1st, with a 6 ft north swell and energy hitting 835, the wind is still onshore at 19 mph. That’s the closest thing to a tease in this whole forecast.

The best you can hope for is that afternoon of September 1st – it has the most energy and the longest period, but until that wind swings offshore, it’s just a maybe. The rest of the run into September 3rd is more of the same: onshore winds, moderate swell, poor conditions.

So, straight up: there’s no good surf in this 16-day window. San Juan is a consistent spot, but even the best breaks have quiet runs. Forecasts can change, so don’t lose hope, but for now, I’d be finding something else to do.

Rusty.

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