Cardiel (Mar del Plata) Surf Break

Lat Long: 37.98° S 57.54° W

Cardiel (Mar del Plata) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 8 pm 16 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Cardiel (Mar del Plata) sea temperature is
9.9° C
1.2° 

Cardiel (Mar del Plata) surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Cardiel (Mar del Plata) surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 17 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 8s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 17 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s period, E swell with 143 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 17 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 8s period with ENE swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cardiel (Mar del Plata) this week:

The surf forecast for Cardiel (Mar del Plata) over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 17) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Cardiel (Mar del Plata) in the next 16 days are 1.0m 8s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 17) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Friday (Jul 17) at 9PM.

Wave TypeTime (-03) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9AM (Fri 17th Jul)3ft (0.9m) 8s
Best Surf 9AM (Fri 17th Jul)3ft (0.9m) 8s
Most Powerful 3PM (Fri 17th Jul)3.5ft (1.0m) 8s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cardiel (Mar del Plata) over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – the next 16 days at Cardiel (Mar del Plata) are a tough watch. We’ve got a gap of about a week where there’s nothing worth paddling out for, so don’t bother waxing up until the second half of the window. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing to write home about.

Let’s get into it. The first real glimmer of hope comes on Friday, July 24th, in the morning. The swell is tiny at 2ft from the SSE, but the period is a lovely 13 seconds, which is proper groundswell energy. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the WSW, so the waves will be clean and lined up. The combined energy is moderate at 203, so it’s not a powerhouse, but for a beginner-friendly break like Cardiel, that’s a nice little window. Expect some decent shape from that long period, though it might be a bit straight for the beach setup. Crowds are sometimes a factor here, so you might have a few mates out, but it’s a casual spot.

After that, it’s a mess again. Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th are a write-off with onshore junk and poor conditions. Then Monday the 27th gets hammered by strong offshore winds, 28 mph, which cleans things up but the swell is only 2ft – it’s just too blown out to be fun.

Now, the end of the window gets interesting, but it’s not for beginners. On Tuesday, July 28th, the swell jumps to 8ft from the SSW, with a period of 10 seconds and combined energy of 1112, which is strong. The wind is cross-onshore, so it’s choppy, but the real issue is that the swell is too big for this break. This is expert-only territory. The same goes for Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th, with swell pushing 8ft and periods of 13 to 14 seconds, and energy levels shooting up to 2539. The wind is onshore or cross-onshore, making it a messy, heavy paddle. For a beginner beach break, this is a kite-surfing scene, not a surfing one.

The very last day, Saturday, August 1st, sees a drop to 5ft from the SE with a 14-second period and 757 energy, but the wind is cross-shore and the conditions are marginal. It’s a long way off, so don’t bank on it.

Overall, the standout is the morning of Friday, July 24th – that’s your best bet for a clean, fun little session. The rest of the window is either flat, messy, or too big. Stay patient, mates.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Fri morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Fri morning, min 7°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Fri morning, fresh winds from the SSE by Sat night).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 10°C on Wed afternoon, min 5°C on Tue afternoon). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1
ENE
8
0.9
ENE
8
1
E
8
0.8
E
9
0.8
E
9
0.7
E
9
0.6
E
10
1.5
SSE
5
0.7
S
9
0.7
S
9
0.7
S
8
1
SE
8
1.1
SE
5
1
S
5
0.7
E
8
0.8
SE
7
0.5
SE
8
0.5
SE
8
0.6
SSE
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
110
96
143
96
113
87
68
111
85
76
68
125
60
51
65
67
35
33
49
Wind (km/h)
20
NNE
10
N
10
SW
15
SSW
15
S
20
SE
25
SSE
20
S
25
S
20
SSE
10
ESE
15
SSE
10
SSW
20
S
10
SE
20
ENE
10
NNE
25
NE
10
N
Wind State
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-off
High Tide
9:36AM1.02m
9:30PM1.90m
10:28AM1.03m
10:24PM1.81m
11:21AM1.06m
11:18PM1.69m
12:15PM1.10m
00:15AM1.54m
1:09PM1.16m
1:15AM1.38m
2:03PM1.22m
2:19AM1.23m
Low Tide
4:37AM0.09m
3:30PM0.65m
5:26AM0.14m
4:27PM0.63m
6:13AM0.21m
5:23PM0.62m
6:57AM0.31m
6:21PM0.62m
7:38AM0.42m
7:23PM0.63m
8:15AM0.53m
8:31PM0.63m
cloud
mod rain
thunderstorm
rain showers
part cloud
cloud
light rain
light rain
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
8:02
8:00
8:00
8:00
7:58
7:58
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:50
5:51
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:53
 mm
9
2
1
5
4
Temp °C
15
17
17
14
10
10
9
8
9
8
9
9
9
6
6
6
9
10
10
Feels °C
13
18
17
13
6
5
4
3
4
4
5
5
5
0
2
1
5
6
7
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Cardiel (Mar del Plata) Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Cardiel (Mar del Plata) provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cardiel (Mar del Plata) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cardiel (Mar del Plata) surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Cardiel (Mar del Plata)) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Cardiel (Mar del Plata) may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Are you planning a holiday in Provincia de Buenos Aires? If you are looking for accommodation near Cardiel (Mar del Plata), camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Provincia de Buenos Aires, consider staying in Mar del Plata which is 4 km (2 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in Villa Gesell which is 94 km (58 miles) away

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