Zarautz Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s have a look at what’s cooking in the water.

Right now, things are flat. There’s no surf to speak of on Wednesday the 19th, so you can leave the board in the car. We’ve got a gap of almost nothing until Thursday morning the 20th rolls around. That’s when we finally see something worth paddling out for.

Thursday morning the 20th at Zarautz is where it starts. The water temp is sitting at 77°, which is a whopping 5° warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s very unusual, real bathwater stuff. Swell is a clean 4ft from the NW, with a long period of 11 seconds pushing through. That’s groundswell energy with moderate power. The wind is glassy, dead calm. That’s your dawn patrol window, and it’s going to be clean. The vibe gets stuffed by the afternoon though with onshore wind and rain, so don’t sleep in.

Friday morning the 21st isn’t a total write-off. Swell holds at 6ft from the NW, period drops a touch to 10 seconds, and combined energy is solid. But the wind is cross-shore, rain showers, and conditions are only marginal. It’s doable if you’re keen, but Thursday morning is a clear standout for this first stretch.

Saturday morning the 22nd looks tidy again, with 4ft NW and glassy, calm winds. Low energy in that one though, so the waves might be a bit weak.

Now, hold onto your leash for Thursday the 27th. The swell jumps to a massive 12ft from the WNW, with strong to very strong energy. The wind is cross-offshore and clean, and the forecast says the tide and wind are favorable. But here’s the kicker – that size is too big for Zarautz. This is a beginner-friendly, exposed beach. For experts only, and even then it might be a washing machine. If you’re not an absolute charger, give it a miss.

The real standout in the whole 16-day window is Friday morning the 28th. Swell is a solid 7ft from the NW, period at 10 seconds, healthy moderate energy, and the wind is dead glassy with clear skies. That is the session. Expect very good surf conditions. The water will still be warm, and the crowd is often around at Zarautz, so expect company for those clean sets.

Monday the 31st and into September 1st sees another big pulse – 10ft to 12ft from NW and NNW, periods hitting 13 seconds. That’s very long period groundswell, which means a lot of energy but tricky at a beach break like this. Too big for most, and wind is messy. Not the pick.

Looking into the second week, Wednesday the 2nd of September looks promising. Morning and afternoon both give 5ft to 6ft from the NW, clean cross-offshore wind, and very good conditions predicted. The swell energy is moderate. That’s a solid option, especially with the crowds thinning a bit.

Thursday the 3rd is glassy again but smaller at 4ft NW. A nice way to finish the run. Overall, the best two windows are Thursday morning the 20th for a sneaky glassy session, and Friday morning the 28th for the stand-out clean 7ft NW with glassy conditions.

Stay stoked,
Rusty

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