El Quemao
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Hourly Forecast
Timezone: Atlantic/Canary
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Wednesday 03
Thursday 04
Friday 05
Saturday 06
Sunday 07
Monday 08
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El Quemao surf guide

El Quemao is a fast, powerful surf spot located in front of the village of La Santa on the north shore of Lanzarote. It's known for its high-quality waves and is often referred to as the Pipeline of the Canaries for good reason. The spot breaks over a jagged lava reef, offering both lefts and rights that sometimes reach up to 10 feet (about 3 meters). The water has a nice tropical feel, making it a visually appealing place, but be prepared for strong localism.

The waves here are not for the faint of heart. When conditions are right, the lefts can be hollow and thick-lipped, while the rights can close out really quickly on the sharp reef. It handles swell sizes from around 3 feet (1 meter) to 10 feet (3 meters), with the best results generally coming from a solid westerly swell. Mid to high tide is preferred, and you'll want a southeast wind for optimal conditions. Just keep in mind that the crowd factor can get pretty intense, especially on good days.

For anyone looking to surf here, it's important to be at an expert level. Paddling out isn't too bad, but a good set of paddling skills is definitely needed. This spot tends to attract a large local crew, so be ready to respect the vibe. El Quemao is best surfed from fall through spring, and it's ideal for shortboards and guns when the waves pick up. If you're up for the challenge, this spot has the potential to be epic.

Surf reports and surf forecasts nearby El Quemao

El Quemao
Canarias, Spain
Reef break
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Mon 8
Tue 9
Wed 10
Thu 11
Fri 12
Sat 13
Sun 14
La Santa Derecha
Canary Islands, Spain
Point break
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Mon 8
Tue 9
Wed 10
Thu 11
Fri 12
Sat 13
Sun 14
La Santa Izquierda
Canary Islands, Spain
Reef break
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Mon 8
Tue 9
Wed 10
Thu 11
Fri 12
Sat 13
Sun 14
El Complejo
Canarias, Spain
Point break
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Mon 8
Tue 9
Wed 10
Thu 11
Fri 12
Sat 13
Sun 14
Caleta De Caballo Izquierda
Canarias, Spain
Reef break
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Mon 8
Tue 9
Wed 10
Thu 11
Fri 12
Sat 13
Sun 14
Caleta De Caballo Derecha
Canarias, Spain
Reef break
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Mon 8
Tue 9
Wed 10
Thu 11
Fri 12
Sat 13
Sun 14
San Juan
Canarias, Spain
Reef break
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Mon 8
Tue 9
Wed 10
Thu 11
Fri 12
Sat 13
Sun 14
Caleta de Famara
Canarias, Spain
Reef break
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Mon 8
Tue 9
Wed 10
Thu 11
Fri 12
Sat 13
Sun 14
Playa de Famara
Canarias, Spain
Beach break
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Mon 8
Tue 9
Wed 10
Thu 11
Fri 12
Sat 13
Sun 14
Las Bajas
Canarias, Spain
Reef break
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Mon 8
Tue 9
Wed 10
Thu 11
Fri 12
Sat 13
Sun 14
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Wind certainty

Wind certainty tells you how much the weather models agree on the forecast.

  • High certainty: Models agree closely; forecast is reliable.
  • Medium certainty: Some disagreement; conditions may shift slightly.
  • Low certainty: Models diverge; treat forecast with caution.

We calculate this by comparing wind speed, gust and direction from multiple models (like GFS, ECMWF, Arome, and Harmonie) and seeing how closely they match. They are weighted, meaning that some models count more than others, depending on how good they are for a certain spot.

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"Great Forecasts. Nothing more, nothing less."

Readme

Welcome! If youโ€™re new to surf forecasting, check out this quick guide.

Forecast Table

The forecast table (the section on the page with all the numbers) is designed to pack as much information in the screen as possible. Although intimidating at first, it will help you make informed decisions about the waves faster, trust me :D. The table consists of roughly four sections, time and predictions, wind, waves, and tides:

๐Ÿ”ฎ Time and predictions section

Here we show the forecast thour and the overall surf quality prediction. This is determined based on the wave, wind and tide quality prediction. These individual predictions can be found on the forecast map.

๐Ÿ’จ Wind section

The first row on the table (with the ๐Ÿ’จ icon) shows wind speed, direction and gust. The more the wind speed the more aggressive the color (from blue, green, orange to red).

๐ŸŒŠ Wave section

The waves section consists of three rows, one for wave height and direction, one for period and one for wave energy. Our algorithm choices the "dominant wave". This is normally the first swell partition, but with heavy local storms it displays the wind waves. If that's the case, we display the numbers in italic and in gray.

๐ŸŒ’ Tide section

The tide section consists of a row with the actual heights per hour (measured at the half hour) and a table that displays the flow of the tide and the extremes (lows and highs).

Forecast map

The forecast map consists of arrows. These arrows represent all wave partitions (swell partitions and wind wave partition) and the wind. This allows you to see things like: a secondary swell or wind waves messes up the surf, or the wind is just a tick offshore so very surfable. Click a metric label in the bottom left to bring that arrow to the front โ€” handy when arrows overlap.

Forecast Cheat Sheet

Short on time? Focus on wave energy. Itโ€™s the best single metric to gauge how big and powerful the waves will be.

Click any table cell to jump to that forecast hour. The map will update with forecast arrows, so you can see if wind and swell direction are lining up.

Use the table sidebar to switch units for height and speed.

Log your surf sessions to compare forecasts with real sessions and sharpen future predictions.

Models and Updates

Surfnerd blends multiple global and local wind and swell models using advanced interpolation and spatial techniques to create an "ensemble" forecast. Forecasts are refreshed hourly.

Surf Predictions

Our AI-driven algorithm scores surf quality, shown by green, orange, and gray dots. Each forecast hour is rated for wind, swell, and tide quality, then combined into an overall score. Hereโ€™s the scale:

Perfect
Good
Average
Bad or No Data

Session logs also feed the algorithm โ€” the more you log, the smarter your forecasts get.

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