San Juan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this outlook for the next 16 days is a tough one. We’re looking at a stretch that’s mostly blown out or just plain messy, and there’s nothing here that’s going to get the heart pumping. We’ve got no solid recommendations from the start, so brace yourself for a long wait.

The whole period kicks off at the end of August with a 6 ft swell from the N, but it’s a short-period 7 seconds and the wind is pumping onshore from the NNE at 19 mph. That’s a recipe for chop, not smiles. The combined wave energy is a moderate 358, but it’s all for nothing with that wind. This bad run of onshore junk continues day after day, with swell heights bouncing between 3 ft and 8 ft, all from the N or NNE, and winds staying on or cross-on from the N or NE, often in the 16 to 22 mph range. The water temp at San Juan is sitting at 75°, which is a touch warmer than normal for the time of year, but you won’t care about the warmth when you’re getting blown off your board.

This ugly stretch drags on for a solid two weeks. There’s a brief moment on the morning of September 4th where the swell drops to 4 ft, but the wind is still cross-on at 16 mph, and the energy is a weak 122. It’s not worth paddling out. Even later in the first week, like the 5th and 6th, we’re stuck with 5 ft to 5 ft swells and moderate to fresh cross-onshore winds. The energy stays in the low to mid 200s, which is moderate, but the quality is just poor.

The only glimmer of hope comes right at the very end, on the morning of Tuesday, September 15th. The wind drops to glassy calm from the NNE at just 3 mph, and we get a 4 ft swell from the NE with a 7-second period. The energy is a weak 156, but with glassy conditions, it’s surfable. The afternoon gets a bit rougher with a light cross-on, but it’s still the best of a bad lot. For a spot like San Juan – a reef break that’s consistent and exposed to the NNW – this is a real letdown. The swell direction is coming from NE, which is not the optimum NNW, so the waves won’t be firing even if the wind is kind.

Overall, this is a 16-day window with almost nothing to offer. The consistent onshore winds and short-period, wind-affected swell keep the quality at rock bottom. If you’re desperate, the 15th is your only chance for a weak, glassy session, but don’t expect much. Keep your eyes on the forecasts, because it can’t stay this poor forever.

Rusty.

Read more