
Surf Forecasts:
The Reef (Culebra) surf forecast from 9 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Friday 10 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 7s period, E swell with 338 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Reef (Culebra) this week:
The most powerful waves expected at The Reef (Culebra) in the next 16 days are 1.8m 7s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 10) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 09) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Fri 10th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Reef (Culebra) over the next 16 days.
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s cooking at The Reef in Culebra.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this outlook is a tough one. We’re looking at a solid stretch of days where the conditions just aren’t coming together for a proper surf. The water temp is sitting at a warm 83°F and that’s about normal for this time of year, nothing unusual there.
The problem is the wind. For the first week, from Thursday the 9th to about Monday the 20th, we’ve got a persistent fresh cross-shore breeze blowing from the east at 18 mph or more. It’s constantly chopping up the surface. The swell is hovering around 3 ft to 6 ft from the east, but it’s short-period stuff, mostly 6 to 8 seconds, so it’s lacking any real punch. The combined wave energy barely cracks 300 (282-320) in the early days, and then it drops off a cliff. By Sunday the 13th, the energy is down to 106 and lower, with tiny waves of 0.6 ft to 1 ft. It’s a real bummer.
What’s the best on offer? Honestly, there isn’t a standout window here. The second half of the outlook, from the 21st of July onward, sees a bit of a pulse. On Tuesday afternoon the 21st, the swell bumps up to 5 ft east at 6 seconds, with energy at 155, but the wind is still a fresh 18 mph cross-shore. Then on Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd, the swell holds around 5 ft from the east, and the energy climbs into the 200s (207-249). That’s moderate energy, but again, the period is short (6-7 seconds) and the wind remains a strong cross-shore at 22-25 mph. At 5 ft, this is getting a bit too much for beginners, and with the wind and chop, it’s really only for the experienced heads who don’t mind a messy, lumpy lineup. The Reef is a reef break exposed to the north, and the swell is coming from the east, so it’s not even hitting the optimum direction. It’s just not firing cleanly.
Forget the paddle; this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing with that consistent cross-shore wind and a bit of bump on the water.
So, there’s a long gap of nothing really worth paddling out for until the 22nd and 23rd, and even then, it’s not what you’d call good. The crowd factor is “sometimes” here, but with surf this marginal, it won’t be an issue.
Stay patient, keep an eye on the forecasts, and hope the wind lays down.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Sat night, min 26°C on Thu night). Mainly strong winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Sun morning, min 27°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | E 6 | E 8 | E 6 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | NNE 11 | E 5 | NNE 10 | NNE 10 | NE 10 | NE 9 | E 7 | N 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
263 | 287 | 247 | 320 | 302 | 283 | 307 | 240 | 108 | 93 | 79 | 71 | 90 | 11 | 90 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 134 | 7 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 4:53PM0.34m | 2:54AM0.19m | 5:55PM0.37m | 3:50AM0.16m | 6:53PM0.40m | 4:55AM0.15m | 7:49PM0.42m | 6:04AM0.16m | 8:41PM0.44m | 7:13AM0.16m | 9:29PM0.44m | 8:21AM0.18m | 10:14PM0.42m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:11AM-0.05m | 11:46PM0.16m | 10:00AM-0.08m | 1:09AM0.15m | 10:55AM-0.10m | 2:12AM0.13m | 11:53AM-0.11m | 3:03AM0.12m | 12:51PM-0.12m | 3:47AM0.12m | 1:49PM-0.10m | 4:27AM0.11m | 2:47PM-0.07m | ||||||||
5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | |
— | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 |
Feels °C | 27 | 27 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 11 | NE 10 | NE 10 | — | — | NE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | N 9 | N 9 | ESE 8 | N 8 | N 7 | NNE 11 | NNE 10 | NNE 10 | NE 10 | NE 9 | N 9 | N 10 |
19 | 17 | 16 | — | — | 15 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 7 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 14 | N 13 | N 10 | NE 9 | ENE 9 | N 8 | NNE 11 | NNE 11 | N 7 | N 7 | N 6 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | N 9 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 12 | N 12 | N 11 | NNE 11 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 8 | NE 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 10 | N 7 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | E 8 | E 6 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 6 | E 5 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | E 5 | ESE 7 | E 7 | E 5 |
263 | 287 | 247 | 320 | 302 | 283 | 307 | 240 | 108 | 93 | 79 | 71 | 90 | 86 | 90 | 106 | 97 | 99 | 131 | 134 | 95 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 79 | 205 | 487 | 878 | 1312 | 487 | 200 | 878 | 452 | 487 | 796 | 422 | 796 | 796 | 149 | 79 | 878 | 139 | 79 | 878 | 139 |
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.










