El Quemao is an incredibly dangerous, world-class reef break located near the village of La Santa on the north-western coast of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. Frequently compared to Pipeline, the bathymetry features an exceptionally shallow, highly irregular volcanic rock shelf that borders a deep-water channel.
Forecast accuracy at El Quemao
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Best time to go
No great windows in the next 2 days
Best available option is Tomorrow around 8am (score: 45). Conditions are below the Good threshold but may still be surfable.
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7-day forecastRecent form
Last 13 days of logged conditions.
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Create Profile →Frequently asked questions
How often is this page updated?
Current conditions refresh every 3 hours when the cron runs. Hourly data updates every 30 minutes. The 7-day forecast, luck factor, and packing notes are all pre-computed at the same time.
What is the luck factor?
We compare the 7-day forecast to the last 5 years of marine data for the same week at El Quemao. The delta tells you whether conditions are shaping up better, worse, or about the same as a typical early May.
How is 'best session' picked?
We score each day of the 7-day forecast using the same algorithm as the leaderboard, and highlight the highest scorer.
Where does the data come from?
Open-Meteo's Marine API (swell height, period, water temperature) and Weather API (wind and conditions).
Does the score capture local knowledge?
Honestly, no. Every break has tide windows, swell directions and reef contours that a global model cannot see. Treat the score as a starting point, then check a local cam.
When is the best time to surf El Quemao?
Check our timing score heatmap above for a week-by-week breakdown combining surf conditions with crowd pressure.