San Juan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

First off, I gotta be straight with you – the outlook for San Juan is a long, tough stretch. We’re looking at a solid 16-day window, but the surf just isn’t cooperating. The whole run is marked by "poor surf conditions," so there’s no standout session to get excited about right now. The water is sitting at 74°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least it’ll be comfortable waiting for something better.

Friday the 7th kicks things off with a 6ft swell out of the NNE, but that 7-second period is short and choppy, and that 19 mph north wind is blowing right onshore. It’s messy. The combined energy is moderate (374), but with the wind tearing it apart, it’s not worth paddling out.

Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th are more of the same – 6ft and 6ft swell, but that wind stays strong from the north, keeping everything bumpy and blown out. The energy ticks up a bit on Saturday afternoon (373), but it’s still cross-onshore and lumpy. Not a good look.

The whole first week from the 7th through the 14th is just a grind. Swell heights hang around 5ft to 6ft, periods are all short (6-8 seconds), and the north wind is relentless. It’s onshore or cross-onshore the whole time. The energy numbers are moderate, peaking at 438 on the morning of the 15th, but that’s still a 6ft short-period mess with a moderate breeze. There’s nothing clean here.

Even into the second week, from the 17th onward, the pattern doesn’t change. On the 18th, we see a bit of a bump to 7ft from the north with an 8-second period, giving us the highest energy reading of the whole period at 464. But again, the wind is cross-onshore, and it’s still "poor surf conditions." That one’s for the experts only, if anyone’s desperate, but the wind will ruin it.

We finally see a drop in swell around the 20th and 21st, with 4ft and 4ft, and the wind eases up a bit. On the morning of the 20th, we get a light breeze from the north, but it’s still onshore, and the swell is tiny. By the 22nd, we get a longer period of 9 seconds from the north, with 5ft swell, but the wind picks up again to 19 mph onshore. That’s a tease.

So, what’s the best of a bad bunch? Honestly, there’s no stand-out. If you’re a die-hard, maybe the morning of the 22nd has the most potential with that longer period, but the wind is going to be a problem. For a location that’s an exposed reef break, this north wind is just not the direction we want. The optimum is from the NNW, and we’re getting a constant northerly flow. It’s a bummer.

This is a long stretch of poor to mediocre conditions. A blank run like this is tough, but it happens. Keep your eyes on the forecasts – things can turn around.

Rusty.

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