Zarautz Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’ve been watching the charts for our stretch of coast for a while now. Let’s break it down.

First off, the water is running 75° right now, which is much warmer than usual for this time of year – you’ll be happy you brought the springy, not the steamer.

The surf is going to be a bit of a slow starter, nothing really worth paddling out for until Sunday morning, August 30th. That first real window opens up with a light 5ft NW swell, but the magic is the glassy, offshore wind from the north. That’s clean, lined-up waves at Zarautz – a perfect beginner-friendly day, just over waist-high. The wave energy is moderate (415), and the period is solid, so there’s a bit of push behind it.

That glassy theme carries into Monday morning, the 31st. Same setup – 5ft from the NW, glassy wind, and the energy is ramping up (466). It’s a great run for this break. The water is still that warm anomaly, so you’re in for a treat. Crowds are often a thing here, but on a Monday morning you’ll beat the worst of it.

Then the week turns a bit average. Winds go funky, the swell drops to knee-to-waist high, and you get a lot of cross-onshore chop. Tuesday through Thursday is basically a write-off for decent waves – it’ll be small and messy. Not worth rushing for.

But hold on – Friday, September 4th is where things get interesting. That morning, a groundswell rolls in. 3ft from the NW, but check this out... a 14-second period and moderate-strong energy (519). The wind is glassy. That combo – long period and glass – turns Zarautz into a proper point break session. The waves will have real shape, energy, and clean faces. It’s not huge, but it’s quality. If you can paddle and read a line, this is your standout morning.

Saturday the 5th keeps that energy going. Morning is 5ft from the NW with a still glassy offshore wind, and the energy is strong (568). I’d call that the best looking day of the whole run. It’s above beginner-friendly at 5ft, but intermediates and above will be stoked. The period is 11 seconds – perfect for zippy walls. Saturday afternoon stays glassy too, with 4ft waves, and the energy jumps even higher (723), which is surprising for that size.

We get a bit of a wind shift on Sunday the 6th – cross-onshore from the NW, which kills the quality, but that’s fine because the swell is still 4-4ft. Not great for us, but if you’re into kite-surfing, that combo of cross-onshore wind and decent swell is a blast.

The second week is a mixed bag. There are flickers of good surf, like Tuesday morning the 8th with 4ft WNW groundswell and glass (329 energy), and a nice clean session – but it’s not as consistent.

Saturday, September 12th is the long-range call. Morning glass, 5ft from the NW, 12-second period, and strong energy (549). That is promising – it’s still two weeks out, so don’t lock in your plans yet, but it looks like a proper return to form if the wind holds.

Verdict? You want the best surf: Saturday morning, September 5th is your golden window at Zarautz. Clean glass, 5ft groundswell from the NW, strong energy, and that warm water. It’s a standout.

Rusty.

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