Zumaya (Playa de Itxurun) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let's have a look at what's in store for Zumaya (Playa de Itxurun).

The next week or so is a bit of a mixed bag. The water’s sitting at 76°, which is *much warmer* than usual for this time of year – a solid 6° above the norm, so it’s like having a spring suit optional day, but don't get too excited just yet because the surf takes a while to get going.

Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th are a write-off. We’re looking at tiny, weak dribble and messy winds – a combined swell energy of just 27 and 54 (weak). Nothing doing there. You could practically waterski across the bay. Thursday the 27th is much the same story, more weak energy (26 to 70). The first real glimmer of hope shows up on Friday the 28th. The morning is glassy, with a clean 5 ft NW swell starting to push in, and the combined energy jumps to 331 (moderate). That’s the pick of the early period. It’s not huge, but with the glassy conditions, it’ll be clean and fun for a beginner-friendly wave. Saturday the 29th morning is a repeat: glassy again, 5 ft of NW swell with 379 (moderate) energy. The afternoon gets a bit lumpy with the wind, so get out early.

Sunday the 30th is small again – 4 ft and glassy in the morning, but again, weak energy (167). By Monday the 31st, the onshore wind picks up and messes up that 5 ft NW swell, so it’s choppy.

Now, here’s the standout. Look at Wednesday the 2nd of September. That’s the one to circle in the calendar. We’ve got a solid 5 ft to 5 ft NW swell, but it’s riding a long 11 to 12 second period (groundswell). The combined energy hits 584 to 604 (strong) – that’s serious push for this break. The catch is the wind is cross-onshore, so it won't be perfect glass, but the swell quality will be there. This is the biggest, most powerful swell of the whole run. For experienced surfers, this is the window. Beginners might find it a bit much at over 5 ft.

After that, things taper off. Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th are smaller and choppier. Saturday the 5th is tiny again, only 2 ft. The last bit of hope is Monday the 7th with a 5 ft NW swell and 365 energy, but the afternoon wind is a fresh 19 mph from the NW, making it lumpy. The very tail end on Wednesday the 9th has a glassy morning with 3 ft waves, but it’s weak.

So, to wrap up: the best session on offer is undeniably the Friday 28th and Saturday 29th mornings for clean, glassy fun-sized waves. For power and size, Wednesday 2nd September is the big swell day, but expect a bumpy surface. The rest of the time, you’ll be squinting at a lot of flat or onshore junk. That’s the read for the next 16 days.

Rusty

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