Reef

both

Level 8/10

Middles

Isabela, Puerto Rico

🪸Sharp reef⚠️Shallow😮‍💨Hold-downs

YouTubeWatch on YouTube CustomizeCustomize this spot

Middles is Puerto Rico's most challenging wave—a fast, powerful reef break that delivers Hawaiian-style barrels on the north coast. The wave breaks hard and fast over shallow reef, demanding commitment and experience. When overhead swells arrive, it's a serious proving ground that separates the locals from the visitors.

Middles surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today4

Poor

1.4mNNE@9s

5km/h

1.4m@9s

5km/h

Thu5

Poor

1.2mNNE@9s

6km/h

1.2m@9s

6km/h

Fri6

Poor

1.2mNNE@11s

13km/h

1.2m@11s

13km/h

Sat7

Fair

1.4mN@10s

10km/h

1.4m@10s

10km/h

Sun8

Fair

1.5mN@12s

6km/h

1.5m@12s

6km/h

Mon9

Fair

1.5mNNE@12s

5km/h

1.5m@12s

5km/h

Tue10

Poor

1.2mNNE@11s

5km/h

1.2m@11s

5km/h

Wed11

Poor

1.0mNE@13s

7km/h

1.0m@13s

7km/h

Thu12

Poor

0.7mNNE@10s

9km/h

0.7m@10s

9km/h

Fri13

Poor

0.5mNE@10s

11km/h

0.5m@10s

11km/h

5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: MorningAM 3 km/h · PM 4 km/h · Tide at 10am (0.1m)

Swell

1.4m

NNE(15°)

Score: 14/25

Period

Short period

Score: 4/25

Wind

5km/h

NW(304°)

Score: 18/25

Weather

28°C

0.3mm50%

First light 5:59amSunrise 6:29amSunset 5:54pmLast light 6:24pm

Windswell

—

Secondary

0.2m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.4m @9s NNE in window

Wind5 km/h NW glassy

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 5:59–8:45am · droppingStrike window: 12:00–2:30pm · risingIdeal tide: mid

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

°C

24°

29°

32°

30°

26°

23°

28°

32°

29°

27°

24°

27°

26°

24°

27°

30°

29°

27°

24°

28°

30°

28°

24°

28°

30°

28°

27°

25°

26°

28°

26°

24°

26°

29°

27°

25°

27°

29°

27°

26°

27°

28°

29°

27°

2m1.0

sec

11s

10s

12s

11s

13s

10s

swell

windkm/h

3g7

3g15

8g25

5g26

2g13

3g7

5g16

10g27

7g23

5g11

10g18

15g34

14g33

14g35

9g25

8g23

7g19

11g30

12g33

8g30

3g9

2g13

9g25

9g27

7g24

6g14

5g17

8g23

1g28

3g22

10g17

7g19

2g24

5g26

3g24

8g15

6g17

6g25

9g29

6g28

5g12

6g18

10g31

12g38

11g36

13g23

13g27

11g34

10g35

9g30

tidem

4:15am0.4m

10:22am0.1m

4:32pm0.4m

11:02pm0.1m

5:22am0.4m

11:37am0.1m

5:22pm0.4m

6:15am0.5m

12:37pm0.1m

6:07pm0.3m

12:17am0.0m

7:00am0.5m

1:37pm0.1m

6:52pm0.3m

12:52am0.0m

7:42am0.5m

2:30pm0.1m

7:30pm0.3m

1:26am0.0m

8:22am0.5m

3:15pm0.1m

8:07pm0.3m

2:00am0.0m

9:00am0.5m

4:00pm0.1m

8:45pm0.2m

2:37am0.0m

9:37am0.5m

4:42pm0.1m

9:22pm0.2m

3:12am0.0m

10:17am0.5m

5:22pm0.1m

10:00pm0.2m

3:52am0.0m

11:00am0.5m

6:07pm0.1m

10:37pm0.2m

Ideal tide (from tide preference)Strike windowNight

Tide times today

4:15 am

High · 0.37m

10:22 am

Low · 0.12m

4:32 pm

High · 0.41m

11:02 pm

Low · 0.09m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Poor

Components

Swell Direction11/25

Swell Size14/25

Swell Period4/25

Wind18/25

Raw Score47/100

Adjustments

💨 Gusty Wind-4

Adjusted Score43/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score43

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to SJU, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

Search Flights on Skyscanner

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell1.4m @9s NNE in window

Wind5 km/h NW glassy

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

See where's firing right nowToday's best waves worldwide, scored live

Free Strike Report

Know when Caribbean is about to fire

Get the best strike windows in Caribbean — and worldwide — in your inbox every Monday & Thursday. Live Strike Scores, the swell behind them, zero fluff.

¿Prefieres español? Recibe el Strike Report en español, gratis →

For real surf travel

Get the full Middles trip window

Pro unlocks the 10-day forecast window, unlimited alerts, and custom spot tracking that help turn a good-looking surf report into a better travel decision.

See Pro Pricing Track Middles free

10-day window

See the trip window before flights get expensive.

Unlimited alerts

Let the app watch your score threshold for you.

Custom spots

Track the breaks that actually matter to your travel plans.

Spot Details

CustomizeCustomize this spot

Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: N (350°)
Direction range: 320° - 20°
Size range: 1.2m - 3m
Ideal size: 2m - 2.6m
Height multiplier: 0.97×
Ideal period: 14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: S (180°)
Offshore range: 150° - 210°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: mid
Optimal range: 0.6m - 1.5m

Water temp

27°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

8/10

Crowd level

5/10

Access: Isabela. North coast.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Middles?

Middles is a reef break in Isabela, Puerto Rico, with peaks that run both left and right.

What swell works best at Middles?

Middles picks up swell from the NW round to the NNE, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the N. It starts working at around 1.2m and handles up to about 3m, with the sweet spot around 2 to 2.6m. Period matters too: aim for 14s or longer, as anything under 10s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

What wind is offshore at Middles?

A S wind is dead offshore at Middles, and anything from the SSE round to the SSW keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 10am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at Middles?

Middles is at its best around mid tide, roughly 0.6m to 1.5m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Middles?

The most reliable run of swell at Middles comes Nov to Mar. There's a second window in Oct too. Winter swells. Challenging, fast, barreling.

How cold is the water at Middles?

The water at Middles averages around 27°C, so boardshorts or a rashguard will do. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is Middles good for beginners?

Not really. It's rated 8/10 for difficulty and suits experienced surfers. Expect a moderate crowd (5/10) when it's on. Fast and powerful. Not for beginners.

How do I get to Middles?

The nearest airport on our list is SJU, then it's roughly a 2-hour drive. Isabela. North coast.

What other surf spots are near Middles?

The closest breaks we track are Jobos (4.0 km), Gas Chambers (11 km) and Surfer's Beach Aguadilla (12 km), handy when Middles isn't working. Fun fact: it's the second most northerly break we track in Puerto Rico.