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.
Best window·Tuesday 8AM–11AM·2-3ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at San Juan, 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, 7s period, rated Very Poor. Slim pickings today — 0-1ft and very poor with strong ENE wind at 17mph.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Very Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 0-1ft and mostly very poor with 8mph from the SSE. Expect the wind to bump up to around 20mph by PM.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Very Poor. Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on E swell at 7s and moderate SE wind around 9mph. Onshore flow builds through the day to 17mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Sun, Sep 6: 1–2ft, 7s period, rated Very Poor. Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on E swell at 7s and moderate SE wind around 8mph. Onshore flow builds through the day to 20mph, bringing conditions down to very poor.
Mon, Sep 7: 1–2ft, 11s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on E swell at 4s with light winds out of the SE. The E wind kicks in by afternoon — 22mph and very poor by then.
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 San Juan turns Good.
Check San Juan from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Located along the northern coast of Puerto Rico near the historic capital city, San Juan offers reef-driven waves that light up during the North Atlantic swell season from November through March. The NNW-facing exposure at these coordinates positions the break perfectly to receive groundswells generated by winter storms tracking across the North Atlantic, producing punchy, fast-breaking waves with good shape. This spot blends an urban surf culture with surprisingly quality surf, making it a convenient session for both locals and traveling surfers exploring Puerto Rico's vibrant north shore.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at San Juan is 0-1ft with a 4.4s swell period. Wind is ENE at 19mph. 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 San Juan is 0-1ft, produced by a 1.2ft ENE wind swell swell at 4s, a 0.6ft ENE wind swell swell at 7s, a 0.5ft NNE tertiary swell at 10s. 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 San Juan is Tuesday from 8 AM to 11 AM with 2ft waves, a 4.2s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
San Juan works best with a N swell and SE 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 San Juan. 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.
San Juan is a reef with a reef bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. Located along the northern coast of Puerto Rico near the historic capital city, San Juan offers reef-driven waves that light up during the North Atlantic swell season from November through March. The NNW-facing exposure at these coordinates positions the break perfectly to receive groundswells generated by winter storms tracking across the North Atlantic, producing punchy, fast-breaking waves with good shape. This spot blends an urban surf culture with surprisingly quality surf, making it a convenient session for both locals and traveling surfers exploring Puerto Rico's vibrant north shore.
The prime season at San Juan 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 San Juan include shallow reef, urchins, strong currents, boat traffic, urban runoff, localism. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our San Juan 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).
