Puerto Rico
Slim pickings today — 0-1ft and very poor with 17mph out of the ENE.
Slim pickings today — 0-1ft and very poor with 17mph out of the ENE.
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at El Unico for the cleanest windows.
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at El Unico, Puerto Rico. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 0–1ft, 4s period, rated Very Poor. Slim pickings today — 0-1ft and very poor with strong ENE wind at 17mph. Expect the wind to bump up to around 21mph by PM.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Very Poor. A slow one — 0-1ft waves and very poor conditions with 8mph SSE winds. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 22mph.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 7s period, rated Very Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on ENE swell at 7s with light winds out of the SE. The E wind kicks in by afternoon — 18mph and very poor by then.
Sun, Sep 6: 1–2ft, 7s period, rated Very Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on ENE swell at 7s with moderate SE wind around 8mph. The E wind kicks in by afternoon — 21mph and very poor by then.
Mon, Sep 7: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Very Poor. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on ENE swell at 6s with 7mph SE winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 25mph from the E and dropping conditions to very poor.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Very Poor today — get one free email when El Unico turns Good.
Check El Unico from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
El Unico is a hidden gem tucked along Puerto Rico's northwest coast, offering powerful reef-driven waves that peel with consistency when northwest swells wrap into its southwest-facing takeoff zone. The break rewards surfers who can read its technical sections, delivering hollow and punchy rides that reflect the raw energy channeled by the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic swell windows. Its relative obscurity keeps the lineup uncrowded, making it a prized discovery for experienced surfers exploring beyond Puerto Rico's more famous breaks.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at El Unico is 0-1ft with a 4s swell period. Wind is ENE at 17mph. Conditions are rated Very Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at El Unico is 0-1ft, produced by a 1.3ft ENE wind swell swell at 4s, a 0.6ft NNE secondary swell at 10s, a 0.5ft ENE wind swell swell at 7s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf El Unico is Tuesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 2ft waves, a 3.9s swell period, and conditions rated Poor. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
El Unico works best with a NW swell and NE winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at El Unico. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
El Unico is a reef with a reef bottom, suited to advanced surfers. El Unico is a hidden gem tucked along Puerto Rico's northwest coast, offering powerful reef-driven waves that peel with consistency when northwest swells wrap into its southwest-facing takeoff zone. The break rewards surfers who can read its technical sections, delivering hollow and punchy rides that reflect the raw energy channeled by the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic swell windows. Its relative obscurity keeps the lineup uncrowded, making it a prized discovery for experienced surfers exploring beyond Puerto Rico's more famous breaks.
The prime season at El Unico is winter, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at El Unico include shallow reef, sharp coral, strong currents, rocky entry and exit, localism. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our El Unico forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable; extended forecasts show general trends. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
