
Surf Forecasts:
The Reef (Culebra) surf forecast from 27 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 30 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 8s period, E swell with 365 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 1.7m 8s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) 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 1.6m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Reef (Culebra) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, let’s have a look at this one. The swell is running, but the wind is a bit of a nightmare for The Reef (Culebra).
The pattern for the next 16 days is a bit of a tease. We’ve got consistent energy in the water, but the wind is the real story, and it’s not a good one. For the first several days, the east-southeast breeze is blowing cross-off or cross-shore, which is going to mess up what should be a clean, lined-up reef wave. The water is warm at 84°F and right around the norm for this time of year, about average.
Starting from Monday, July 27th, we’ve got some swell around 3 ft from the east, but the cross-offshore wind is gonna make it bumpy. The combined energy is moderate, around 128, but the poor surf conditions are clearly the main call. Tuesday, July 28th, drops right off to 1 ft, and the wind is still a problem. The whole first week is a write-off really, with the wind constantly in the 15 to 22 mph range, mostly cross or cross-off, and the swell heights are all over the place. The energy gets a bit of a kick on Wednesday the 29th afternoon, with a 6 ft wave from the east and a combined energy of 263, but the fresh cross-shore wind is just going to chop it up. That continues through Thursday and Friday, with the same 5 ft to 6 ft swell and consistent cross-shore wind.
The weekend of August 1st and 2nd is no better, with risk of thunderstorms and the wind still cross-shore. The swell drops to 4 ft on Sunday afternoon, but the vibe is still poor. The following week, from August 3rd to 5th, we get a massive drop in swell, with tiny 0.3 ft to 3 ft waves, and the wind is still a problem. The energy is near zero.
If you’re looking for a standout, it’s a tough call. The best window is actually further out, on Saturday, August 8th and Sunday, August 9th. The swell is back up to 6 ft from the east, with a moderate combined energy of 242 to 260. This is a reef break, so it can handle the east swell, but the wind is forecast to be a fresh cross-shore from the east-northeast, which is a real bummer. It’s not going to be glassy or clean. The crowds are only “sometimes” a problem here, so if you’re desperate, you might get a few lumpy ones. The swell direction is east, and the guidance says the optimum for this spot is north, so it’s not a perfect match.
The only other glimmer is on Tuesday, August 11th, when the swell drops to 2 ft, but the period jumps to 10 seconds and the wind is cross-off from the east-southeast, which is cleaner. But the wave size is tiny.
There’s a big gap in quality surf for the first two weeks, honestly. The wind is the villain. It’s not until the second week of August that we see any real size, but the wind ruins it. The setup here is a reef, so with the strong cross-shore wind and the decent size, a kitesurfer might have a better time on a day like August 8th than a surfer.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Mon night. Warm (max 28°C on Mon afternoon, min 27°C on Mon morning). Mainly strong winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Warm (max 28°C on Thu morning, min 27°C on Thu morning). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | |||||||||||||||
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 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | NE 9 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 6 | NW 8 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
117 | 105 | 125 | 26 | 22 | 16 | 13 | 263 | 341 | 365 | 307 | 314 | 223 | 247 | 146 | 212 | 0 | 3 | 95 | 74 | 104 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:19PM0.36m | 6:39AM0.18m | 8:54PM0.38m | 7:34AM0.19m | 9:26PM0.39m | 8:27AM0.20m | 9:55PM0.39m | 9:20AM0.22m | 10:23PM0.38m | 10:14AM0.24m | 10:50PM0.36m | 11:09AM0.26m | 11:16PM0.33m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:35PM-0.02m | 3:20AM0.14m | 1:18PM-0.02m | 3:53AM0.14m | 1:58PM-0.00m | 4:23AM0.13m | 2:38PM0.02m | 4:49AM0.13m | 3:18PM0.05m | 5:12AM0.12m | 4:02PM0.07m | 5:33AM0.10m | 4:52PM0.10m | ||||||||
5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | |
— | 6:58 | — | — | 6:57 | — | — | 6:57 | — | — | 6:55 | — | — | 6:55 | — | — | 6:55 | — | — | 6:54 | — | |
mm | 2 | — | 8 | 2 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Temp °C | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 |
Feels °C | 27 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | NNE 7 | — | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | NE 9 | — | N 7 | N 7 | — | — | SE 7 | — | ENE 8 | — | S 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 |
11 | 9 | — | 26 | 22 | 16 | 13 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 11 | — | 146 | — | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | S 8 | NE 10 | E 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 8 | — | — | S 8 | — | S 8 | — |
— | — | — | 1 | 4 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | S 9 | ENE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 2 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 5 | ESE 5 | E 5 | E 6 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | SE 5 | E 8 | E 6 | E 5 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 |
117 | 105 | 125 | 47 | 58 | 53 | 139 | 263 | 341 | 365 | 307 | 314 | 223 | 247 | 47 | 212 | 116 | 94 | 95 | 74 | 104 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 79 | 105 | 68 | 193 | 141 | 139 | 863 | 206 | 79 | 79 | 206 | 424 | 878 | 796 | 80 | 79 | 79 | 74 | 878 | 871 | 79 |
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.










