Surf spot

El centro

Forecast conditions and map view for El centro in Canary, Lanzarote. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: Canary, Lanzarote
Coordinates: 29.1121, -13.6630

Metric
Metric	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00
Wave height (m)	1.8	1.8	1.7	1.7	1.6	1.6	1.6	1.6	1.6	1.5	1.5	1.4	1.4	1.4	1.3	1.3	1.2	1.1	1	1	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.6	0.6	0.4	0.6	0.8	1.2	1.5	1.6	1.7	1.7	1.7	1.8	2	2	2	2	2	1.9	1.9	1.9
Wave direction	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	N	NE	NE	NE	NNE	NNW	N	N	N	N	NNE	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N
Wave period (s)	6.6	6.3	6.3	6	6.1	6.1	6	5.8	5.5	5.5	5.6	5.6	5.6	5.6	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.5	5.4	5.3	7	7.5	9.3	9.2	8.8	7.8	7.8	7.5	7.5	7.2	7.3	7.8	7.7	6	6	6.2	6.3	6	6.2	6.3	6.3	6.5	6.8	7.2	6.9	7.2	7.2	7.2	7.1	7.2	7.3	7.3	7.3
Wave energy (kJ)	276	261	228	218	200	195	181	171	158	140	134	130	123	119	111	98	83	72	63	58	49	39	40	51	59	85	83	81	78	73	53	50	48	41	46	32	24	24	12	25	51	102	167	217	256	276	295	322	409	426	426	403	398	401	398	390
Wind speed (km/h)	30.2	31.5	28.8	29.7	32.2	33	28.4	28.9	18.1	13.9	18.4	20.3	7.2	13.7	12.9	5.8	9	12.4	8.9	2.5	7.6	14.8	12.6	8.6	7.7	8.6	7.7	10.9	22.5	24.8	14.5	10.9	11.5	8.9	13	28	32.2	31.9	32.7	30.9	34.5	33.4	36.4	38	36	35.6	35.7	34.6	33.9	24.6	29.9	30.6	32.8	32.1	30.8	25.2
Wind direction	NCross-off	NCross-off	NCross-off	NCross-off	NCross-off	NCross-off	NCross-off	NCross-off	NCross-off	NCross	NCross	NNECross-off	NNECross-off	SWOnshore	SSWCross-on	WOnshore	SSECross	SCross-on	NECross-off	NGlassy	WSWOnshore	NNWCross	NNWCross	NNWCross	NNECross-off	NCross	NNWCross	NCross	NCross-off	NNECross-off	NCross	NCross	NCross	NNWCross	NCross	NNECross-off	NNECross-off	NNECross-off	NNECross-off	NNECross-off	NNECross-off	NCross-off	NBlown out	NNEBlown out	NBlown out	NBlown out	NBlown out	NCross-off	NCross	NCross	NCross	NCross	NCross	NCross	NCross	NCross-off

El Centro, Lanzarote (Canary Islands) is a well-known surf spot on the island’s northwest coast, in the area around La Santa. It’s generally considered a powerful, reef-based wave with a more advanced feel than beginner-friendly beach breaks.

Quick description

Type: Reef break
Skill level: Intermediate to advanced
Best swell: Northwest to north-west/north
Wind: Offshore in easterly trade winds
Wave quality: Fast, hollow, and can be very good on the right swell
Crowds: Can get busy when conditions are good, especially with experienced surfers

What it’s like

El Centro is known for producing clean, punchy waves that can form sharp, fast sections. When the swell lines up correctly, it can offer solid walls and occasional barrels, but it also has a reputation for being powerful and unforgiving, with shallow reef underneath.

Conditions

Works best with a consistent northwest swell
Needs the right tide; too low can make it very shallow and dangerous
Wind from the east or southeast usually keeps it clean
Not ideal for learners due to the reef and wave energy

Atmosphere

The spot is part of Lanzarote’s strong surf culture and sits near the famous La Santa surf zone, where the coastline delivers a number of high-quality reef breaks. Expect a serious surf crowd when it’s firing.

Safety

Because it’s a reef break, surfers should be careful of: - Sharp reef - Strong currents - Heavy wipeouts - Tide-dependent hazards