
Surf Forecasts:
The Reef (Culebra) surf forecast from 3 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Friday 7 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 8s period, E swell with 153 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 1.1m 8s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 07) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Fri 7th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Reef (Culebra) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch ahead for The Reef in Culebra. The whole 16-day window is a total write-off for decent paddle surfing. We’re looking at a solid block of ‘poor surf conditions’ starting now and running right through to the end of the forecast on the 18th of August. That’s over two weeks with nothing worth paddling out for.
The problem is two-fold. First, the swell is mostly weak, short-period windswell from the east and northeast, with periods hanging around 6 to 8 seconds. That’s just not enough grunt to get the reef working properly. Even when the combined energy climbs to moderate levels, like 121 (137) on Thursday the 6th of August, the quality is still shot. The real killer is the wind. It’s almost constantly a “moderate breeze” to “fresh breeze” cross-shore or cross-off, but it’s always strong – 12 mph to 22 mph – and it’s putting a chop on the surface. Even when the wind is cross-off and the waves look clean, the swell is just too small and weak to do anything with.
There are a couple of days where the swell bumps up a bit. Around the 14th and 15th of August, we see swell heights hitting 6 ft to 7 ft from the east, with combined energy jumping into the strong range (332 to 454). But the wind is still a fresh 19 to 22 mph cross-shore, which will turn those waves into a lumpy, choppy mess. That’s not a surf session; that’s a washing machine. With that much wind and a beach-and-reef setup, this looks far more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
The water temperature is sitting at a warm 84°, which is about average for this time of year – no surprises there.
Honestly, there’s not a single standout in this whole outlook. The forecast is grim, and it’s one of those blank runs that’s just normal for this area at this time of year. Don’t bother paddling out. The reef needs a proper groundswell and a lot less wind. Keep your gear dry and wait for a better window.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Tue night. Warm (max 28°C on Mon afternoon, min 27°C on Mon night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 28°C on Thu afternoon, min 27°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | ||||||||||||||
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 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | NE 7 | E 7 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 5 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
70 | 26 | 53 | 57 | 58 | 51 | 56 | 113 | 67 | 110 | 135 | 84 | 44 | 99 | 112 | 115 | 91 | 78 | 83 | 94 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 11:42PM0.30m | 1:09PM0.30m | 00:11AM0.27m | 2:15PM0.33m | 00:43AM0.23m | 3:24PM0.35m | 1:22AM0.21m | 4:34PM0.37m | 2:17AM0.19m | 5:41PM0.39m | 3:32AM0.18m | 6:41PM0.41m | 4:54AM0.19m | |||||||
Low Tide | 5:50PM0.13m | 6:22AM0.04m | 7:02PM0.16m | 6:57AM0.01m | 8:31PM0.18m | 7:40AM-0.02m | 10:16PM0.18m | 8:33AM-0.04m | 11:53PM0.18m | 9:35AM-0.05m | 1:02AM0.17m | 10:41AM-0.06m | 1:51AM0.16m | |||||||
— | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | |
6:54 | — | — | 6:53 | — | — | 6:53 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | 4 | — | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
Feels °C | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 6 | ENE 7 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SSE 5 | N 12 | N 11 | E 10 | NE 7 | E 9 | NE 8 | SE 6 | NE 7 | SE 6 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 10 |
13 | 26 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 67 | 7 | 135 | 15 | 44 | 26 | 19 | 13 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 24 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 7 | ESE 7 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 | E 11 | N 11 | E 10 | E 10 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 10 | — | NE 12 | — | NNE 11 | NNE 8 |
— | 1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 4 | — | 6 | — | 12 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 8 | — | N 9 | — | — | N 11 | — | NE 10 | E 10 | E 11 | SSE 7 | — | — | — | — | N 13 | — | — | — |
— | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | 2 | — | 4 | 2 | 2 | 10 | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 6 | ESE 4 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | SE 5 | E 7 | SE 5 | NE 8 | ESE 4 | ENE 7 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 5 |
70 | 26 | 53 | 57 | 58 | 51 | 56 | 113 | 25 | 110 | 30 | 84 | 24 | 99 | 112 | 115 | 91 | 78 | 83 | 94 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 105 | 77 | 878 | 372 | 68 | 105 | 69 | 82 | 105 | 270 | 98 | 204 | 270 | 414 | 105 | 196 | 414 | 79 | 200 | 414 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Puerto Rico | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Puerto Rico | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Latest Updates
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.











