Sidi Ifni Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks for Sidi Ifni are looking pretty flat and frustrating. The northwest swell is there, but it’s weak, short-period stuff, and the wind just won’t cooperate. It’s a tough run.

Let’s kick things off. The water’s sitting at 70°, which is about normal for this time of year, nothing to write home about. But the surf? From Tuesday the 11th right through to the end of next week, it’s mostly a no-go. The swell is hanging around 4ft to 5ft from the NNW, but with a period of only 6 to 8 seconds, there’s no power behind it. The wind is mostly cross-onshore, swinging from the west and northwest, just keeping everything chopped up and messy. The combined energy is weak to moderate at best, hitting the 200s on some days but still not enough to overcome the conditions. There’s a little blip on Saturday the 15th morning where the energy hits 296 and the forecast says “marginal,” but honestly, it’s still a cross-on breeze and the swell is under 5ft. It’s not worth the drive.

The real standout, if you can call it that, is Thursday the 20th. The morning session is where it’s at. The wind switches to glassy, a total miracle. The swell drops to 3ft from the NNW with an 8-second period, and the combined energy is only 99, so it’s weak. But for a beginner-friendly spot like Sidi Ifni, that’s actually a blessing. The water will be smooth as glass, no chop, just clean little rollers. The wave comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” but with that glassy wind, it’s the only window we’ve got. The crowds can be *sometimes* a thing here, but on a Thursday morning with small surf, you’ll likely have it to yourself.

After that, it’s back to the same story. Friday the 22nd sees a bump in size to 5ft, but the energy jumps to 277 and the wind is straight onshore from the northwest, making it a washing machine. Then on Wednesday the 26th, we finally see a real pulse of energy – the swell hits 6ft on the morning and 7ft in the afternoon, with the combined energy jumping to 410 and then 616. That’s a solid, moderate pulse of energy. But the wind is still cross-onshore, and a 7ft wave with a short 8-second period and a cross-shore wind is going to be a messy, lumpy beast. It’s too big for beginners and not clean enough for experts. Honestly, for that session, it’s looking more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

So, bottom line: if you’ve got a longboard and patience, that Thursday the 20th morning is your one and only chance for a clean, glassy session. The rest of the 16 days? Leave the boards in the car and go for a walk. This is one of those blank runs that’s pretty normal for the area when the wind sets in wrong. Forecasts can change, but as it stands, it’s a tough watch.

Rusty.

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