Surf Forecasts:
The Reef (Culebra) surf forecast from 31 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 8s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 31 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 9s period, ENE swell with 134 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 8s period with ENE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Reef (Culebra) this week:
The surf forecast for The Reef (Culebra) over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Reef (Culebra) in the next 16 days are 0.9m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 6s period and expected on Monday (Sep 07) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Mon 31st Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Reef (Culebra) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a pretty quiet stretch ahead for The Reef (Culebra). This is a consistent, exposed reef break that handles north swell best, but over the next 16 days the swell energy is just not there. The water is sitting at 85°F which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The forecast starts off flat and messy. From Monday the 31st of August right through the first week of September, it’s all small, weak, and crumbly. Swell heights barely tickle 3 ft with combined energy readings mostly in the double digits – as low as 17 – and the period is short, around 5 to 8 seconds. Winds are cross or cross-off, moderate to fresh, so nothing to get excited about. It’s a long stretch of “poor surf conditions” with scores of 0. That’s nearly a week of nothing worth paddling out for.
You get a tiny flicker on Sunday the 6th of September. The afternoon shows a small 2 ft swell from the east, period at 8 seconds, combined energy at 75 (still weak), but the wind swings to a light offshore from the SSE – that’s a gentle breeze and clean. It’s “surfable but very ordinary,” the best of a bad lot, but still pretty underwhelming. That’s the only highlight in the whole run.
After that, it’s back to the same story. From the 7th through the 15th of September, it’s all tiny waves – 0.3 ft to 2 ft – with cross-off winds, combined energy often in the teens or twenties, and the occasional bit of energy pushing 143 on the 11th of September from a 4 ft easterly with a 6-second period, but that’s short and weak. The quality is still rated poor. The clean conditions are there, but without swell, it’s just a flat, polished lake.
Honestly, for a reef that’s usually reliable, this is a tough run. If you’re desperate, the Sunday afternoon on the 6th is your best shot, but don’t expect much. The rest of the 16 days is a write-off. Bring a towel.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Tue morning. Warm (max 28°C on Mon afternoon, min 27°C on Mon night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Fri morning. Warm (max 29°C on Fri afternoon, min 28°C on Thu afternoon). Mainly fresh winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | E 8 | NNE 10 | E 7 | E 4 | E 5 | E 8 | NE 9 | E 8 | N 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
127 | 80 | 90 | 21 | 21 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 24 | 43 | 11 | 3 | 18 | 1 | 57 | 70 | 69 | 69 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:31PM0.30m | 11:50AM0.37m | 11:00PM0.27m | 12:49PM0.38m | 11:31PM0.24m | 1:53PM0.38m | 00:09AM0.23m | 3:04PM0.39m | 1:01AM0.21m | 4:15PM0.40m | 2:18AM0.21m | 5:21PM0.41m | 3:50AM0.22m | |||||||
Low Tide | 5:07PM0.15m | 4:54AM0.05m | 6:09PM0.17m | 5:28AM0.02m | 7:22PM0.19m | 6:11AM0.00m | 8:51PM0.20m | 7:04AM-0.01m | 10:25PM0.20m | 8:08AM-0.01m | 11:40PM0.19m | 9:22AM0.00m | 00:31AM0.18m | |||||||
— | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | |
6:36 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:34 | — | — | 6:32 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | |
mm | — | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | 4 | — | 5 | 1 | — | 4 | 2 | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 |
Feels °C | 26 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 32 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | SE 6 | SSE 6 | E 8 | E 8 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 5 | E 7 | SE 5 | NNE 10 | NNE 9 | E 8 | NE 9 | E 8 | N 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 8 |
127 | 43 | 12 | 21 | 21 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 3 | 18 | 1 | 57 | 70 | 69 | 69 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 10 | ENE 8 | NE 10 | NE 7 | NE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | NNE 10 | E 7 | SE 9 | S 8 | NNE 9 | S 8 | N 8 | S 8 | SE 6 | N 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 |
10 | 80 | 4 | 19 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | NE 9 | N 12 | NE 10 | N 12 | ENE 6 | NNE 11 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NNE 10 | — | — | S 8 | — | S 8 | — | N 8 | N 8 | SE 9 | N 6 |
1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 10 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 5 | E 6 | ENE 8 | ESE 4 | E 5 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | E 4 | E 4 | ENE 4 | E 4 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | — | SSE 5 | SSE 4 | SE 4 |
37 | 42 | 90 | 17 | 33 | 13 | 13 | 6 | 19 | 8 | 24 | 43 | 43 | 55 | 29 | 47 | — | 10 | 7 | 29 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 79 | 0 | 270 | 105 | 68 | 105 | 105 | 270 | 105 | 853 | 82 | 1185 | 105 | 68 | 193 | 105 | 39 | 105 | 0 | 39 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Puerto Rico | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Puerto Rico | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the The Reef (Culebra) Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for The Reef (Culebra) provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at The Reef (Culebra) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The Reef (Culebra) surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (The Reef (Culebra)) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for The Reef (Culebra) may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.











