Anglet - La Petite Madrague Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Imperial version

Alright, surfers, Rusty here with the full picture for Anglet - La Petite Madrague. This is a beach/jetty setup that's fairly consistent, but it's going to be a real mixed bag over the next couple of weeks. We've got a long wait ahead, so let's break it down.

The water temperature is sitting right around average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

The first few days are a write-off. We've got rain showers, light rain, and poor surf conditions straight through Thursday and Friday, the 20th and 21st of August. The swell is there, around 1.3m to 1.9m from the NW, but the wind is all wrong – onshore and cross-onshore, making it choppy and messy. The combined swell energy is moderate, hitting 384 (units omitted) on Thursday, then jumping to 724 (units omitted) on Friday morning, but it's all for nothing with the wind.

Then we hit a dry spell. After Friday, there's a gap of several days with no real recommendations. The waves drop off significantly, and the conditions are just ordinary.

Finally, things start to look up. The standout period is going to be the morning of Saturday, the 22nd of August. We've got a moderate offshore breeze from the East at 12 mph, and the swell is 4 ft from the NW with a 9-second period. The combined energy is moderate at 269 (units omitted). The conditions are clean with that offshore wind, so this is your best bet for a decent session. It's a beginner-friendly break, and crowds are sometimes an issue, but that morning window should be worth it.

The rest of the first week is small or blown out. Saturday afternoon drops to 4 ft, and Sunday morning is only 2 ft. The wind swings around, and from Monday, the 24th, through to Friday, the 28th, we see a mix of tiny swells and strong onshore winds. Thursday the 27th has a big spike in energy – 10 ft at 1364 (units omitted) – but it's with a fresh onshore wind, making it a total mess. That's kite-surfing territory, not for paddling.

The following week offers a couple of promising windows. The morning of Sunday, the 30th of August, looks solid with a 5 ft NW swell, a 9-second period, and a light offshore breeze from the ESE at 3 mph. The combined energy hits 370 (units omitted), and it's clean. That's a good option.

Then the morning of Monday, the 31st of August, is also a standout. We've got a 5 ft NW swell, a 9-second period, and a light offshore wind from the East at 6 mph. The energy is 330 (units omitted), and again, clean conditions. This is a strong, consistent pick.

Looking further out, the morning of Thursday, the 3rd of September, is the most promising call of the whole forecast. The swell is 7 ft from the NW with a 10-second period, a light offshore from the ENE at 3 mph, and the combined energy is a strong 880 (units omitted). It's clean, and it's expected to be very good. But remember, that's a long way out, so treat it as a promising but less certain highlight.

In summary, the best windows are the Saturday morning of the 22nd, then the Sunday and Monday mornings of the 30th and 31st of August. For the long-range crew, keep an eye on the morning of the 3rd of September. The rest of the time, you're either waiting for the wind to play ball or the swell to show up.

Rusty, signing off.

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