San Juan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about San Juan. I’ve gotta be straight with you—this outlook is a tough one. The whole 16-day stretch is plagued by onshore winds from the north and north-northeast, with a 8-second period windswell that just can’t find its footing. The water temp sits at a very comfortable 72°, right about average for this time of year, which is a nice thought, but it’s not much comfort when the surf is this ragged.

Right now, Sunday afternoon the 26th, we’ve got a 7.5ft swell from the north-northeast, but it’s hammered by a 35 km/h north wind. That’s a no-go. As we move into Monday and Tuesday, the swell drops to between 4.3ft and 5.2ft, but the wind stays fresh and onshore. The combined wave energy is weak to moderate, with readings like 351 on Monday morning and 300 Monday afternoon (moderate energy). It’s just ugly out there. Wednesday through Saturday sees more of the same—small, short-period swell and relentless onshore breeze. The energy numbers hover between 131 and 293 (low to moderate), with conditions rated poor every single time.

We hit a blank patch here; there’s nothing worth paddling out for at all this first week and into the second. The surf is basically flat-lined, quality-wise, due to the wind. From Sunday the 2nd of August through to Thursday the 7th, it’s more of the same: 3.3ft to 6.6ft of NNE windswell but with a constant 20 to 40 km/h north or NNE wind. The energy values creep up a bit, hitting 390 and 483 on Monday the 3rd (moderate), but the wind is ruining any chance of a clean face.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting but also dicey. Around Saturday the 8th of August, we see a big spike in swell. It jumps to 9.8ft from the NNE with an 8-second period, and the combined energy hits a whopping 1153 (strong). This is expert territory, no doubt—too big for beginners, and even for the average surfer. That’s a lot of water moving, and the period is still short, meaning it’ll be a bit of a washing machine. Then Sunday the 9th delivers the biggest energy reading of the whole forecast: 1328 (very strong) with 9.8ft from the NNE and a slightly longer 9-second period. This is the standout, the one window to watch. The swell direction (NNE) is just a touch off the optimum (NNW), but with energy like that, it’ll be on. Problem is, the wind is still a solid 30-35 km/h from the north and onshore. The combination of huge swell and that wind doesn’t make for a clean wave, but if you’re a charger looking for power and don’t mind some chop, this is your moment. Monday the 10th holds size too, with 8.2ft and 988 energy (strong), but again, the wind is stubborn.

In short: the first week and a half are a write-off for surfing. The one true standout, and the only time I’d point you to the water, is the weekend of the 8th-9th of August, when the swell gets genuinely big and powerful. It’s an expert-only window, and the wind will make it ugly, but the raw energy is undeniable. For the rest, save your wax.

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