Zarautz Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s on the table here in Zarautz. It’s a slow start, but don’t write the next week off just yet – there’s some real magic brewing down the line.

We kick things off on Friday the 11th with tiny, weak waves. The water’s sitting at 74°, a mighty 5° warmer than usual – feels like a warm bath, proper pleasant. The swell is weak (combined energy of just 90), only 2 ft of NW windswell. It’s glassy in the morning, but there’s nothing to get out of bed for. The afternoon turns poor, so just skip it.

Saturday the 12th is much the same story: small 2 ft WNW swell, glassy again in the early hours, but the energy is anemic (60). A bit of a wait-and-see day.

Alright, here’s where we get talking. Sunday the 13th is the first real eye-opener. The morning serves up a clean 4 ft NW groundswell with a 13-second period – long, tasty lines – and it’s glassy calm. The energy jumps to a solid 600 (moderate). This is legitimately good. The break is very consistent, and the optimum direction is a perfect match. Beginners will be fine at this size, and the light offshore (ESE, 0 km/h) is a beaut. The afternoon gets a bit iffy with an onshore breeze, so make the most of the morning session.

Monday the 14th morning still has good 4 ft NW swell and glassy conditions, with a 12-second period and solid energy (430). It’s not quite the standout of Sunday, but still a fine session.

Then we hit a rough patch from Tuesday the 15th through to Thursday the 17th. The wind swings onshore and cross-on, with bumpy, choppy conditions. Wednesday has some size (5 ft to 5 ft) but it’s messy. Not worth paddling out unless you’re desperate.

Friday the 18th morning offers a reprieve – glassy conditions return with a clean 4 ft NW swell (period 10s, energy 249). Nice, clean, but not the headliner.

Now, here’s the true standout for this whole outlook: Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th. Saturday morning brings a proper bump in energy to 800 (moderate-to-strong) with 6 ft of clean NW groundswell, 12-second period, and glassy conditions (ESE, 3 mph). That is a gorgeous morning. The afternoon stays just as good with 5 ft and glass. Sunday the 20th morning has offshore winds (S, 6 mph) and a clean 5 ft NW swell, combined energy hitting 835. That’s a serious session.

Monday the 21st morning pumps even bigger: 8 ft of NW groundswell with a 13-second period, glassy, and the energy screams “very strong” at 2042. This one is only for experienced surfers – 8 ft is big, powerful, and the period is long, which might make the beach break a bit straight. If you’re a competent charger, this is the best on offer. The afternoon gets a cross-on breeze, so grab that morning window.

Tuesday the 22nd still has solid 7-7 ft NW swell (13-second period, energy 1265-1365), but the wind is onshore and the quality drops. Another one for the strong paddlers only.

Wednesday the 23rd morning is glassy again with 5 ft NW swell (energy 523) – a nice, manageable, clean session to finish the first two weeks strong. From Thursday the 24th onward into late September, we see a mix of smaller, glassy waves and some bigger swells with tricky winds. The 25th and 26th mornings both look promising: 5 ft to 6 ft of NW swell with glassy conditions and strong energy (660-923), but afternoons get a bit choppy.

The long-range for the 26th looks excellent in the morning but could get blown out later. Trust the morning windows.

Rusty.

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