Sidi Ifni Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, and I'll be honest with you – the next couple of weeks at Sidi Ifni are a real mixed bag. We've got a solid run of swell building, but the wind is going to be a pain in the arse for most of it. The water is sitting at 68°F, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Right now, there's nothing to get excited about. The first few days are a write-off. Friday the 31st of July has some small, weak waves – 4ft from the NNW with a short period of 7 seconds (combined energy 141), but onshore northwestern wind is making a mess of it. Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd of August are the same story: tiny, poor-quality surf with cross-onshore winds. You'd be better off staying on the beach.

Monday the 3rd of August morning is the first time we see a glimmer of hope. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the NNW, still short period at 7 seconds, but the wind goes glassy. The energy is moderate (245). It's surfable, but very ordinary. The rest of that day and Tuesday the 4th are back to poor conditions.

The pattern continues through the week – the swell is there, 5ft to 6ft from the NNW, but the wind is a constant cross-onshore, killing the quality. The energy builds into the moderate range (304 to 381), but it's all just marginal. Thursday the 6th of August afternoon is a perfect example: 6ft swell, 8-second period, 381 energy, but a 9 mph cross-onshore wind makes it a choppy mess.

Friday the 7th of August morning is the first real standout. The swell holds at 6ft from the NNW, 8 seconds, and the energy is up to 410. But the key is the wind is glassy. That's a solid, clean surf session right there. The swell is getting a bit big for beginners, but it's perfect for everyone else.

The following week is a slow grind of marginal conditions until we hit a couple of absolute crackers. Thursday the 13th of August morning is a beauty. The swell pushes to 7ft from the NNW, 8-second period, and the energy is strong at 592. The wind is dead calm – glassy. This is right on the edge of expert territory, but if you're experienced, it's going to be pumping.

Friday the 14th of August morning is the pick of the entire forecast. The swell is 7ft, 8 seconds, from the NNW, with a strong 621 energy. More importantly, we get a light offshore wind from the east. This is the kind of day you wait for – clean, lined-up waves at Sidi Ifni. The crowd factor is "sometimes," so expect some company, but with conditions this good, it's worth it.

The final day that looks good is Saturday the 15th of August morning – 6ft from the NNW, 475 energy, and glassy winds again. A solid session to round out the two weeks.

The rest of the days are a write-off. Don't bother.

So, to sum it up: the first week is mostly a bust. The two absolute standouts are the morning of Friday the 7th of August, and the morning of Friday the 14th of August. Both have great swell and clean, near-perfect conditions. The 14th is the best of the best with that offshore wind.

Rusty.

Read more