Matanzas Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright surfers, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. For the next couple of weeks, Matanzas is going to be a bit of a mixed bag, but there are a few golden windows worth paddling out for.

We start off with a nice little pulse of SW swell rolling in on Saturday the 12th, with clean morning conditions. The water temp is sitting at 56°F, which is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there. The morning sees 5ft of SW swell at an 8-second period, which is a bit short and junky, but with a light cross-off breeze it’ll be rideable. The combined energy is moderate (379), so there’s some push. Sunday the 13th is the real standout of the first week. The morning brings a clean 2ft WSW groundswell with a whopping 18-second period. That's proper long-period energy, meaning long, waiting sets, but when they come, they’ll be smooth and lined up perfectly for this reef. It’s a challenge for the paddle-out but the rewards are there. The energy reading is strong (582), so don’t let the small height fool you. Light cross-off wind and clean conditions make this a top pick.

Monday the 14th holds some shape with 4ft of WSW at 14 seconds, but it gets messy in the afternoon. You want the morning sessions this whole week. Tuesday the 15th morning is another clean one with 4ft at 13 seconds, very good surf. Wednesday the 16th is small, only 2ft, but clean. Thursday the 17th morning, it’s glassy with 2ft. Hardly a standout, but sometimes you just need to get wet.

Now, moving into the second week. On Monday the 21st, there’s a clean 5ft, but the period drops to 9 seconds – a bit fickle. The real highlight up ahead is Tuesday the 22nd morning. We get a solid 6ft of SW swell with a 9-second period, and it’s clean with light cross-off winds. The energy is strong (508). That’s your best bet for the later part of the forecast, but remember, this is a long-range call, so keep an eye on it. Thursday the 24th afternoon picks up a clean 3ft with a 12-second period, not big but clean.

There are big gaps of poor afternoons with onshore wind, especially from the 20th to the 24th, where the swell and wind just don’t line up. Don't bother with the afternoons. Stick to the early sessions. A lot of those mornings are clean, and while Matanzas is very consistent, the quality varies.

Where the wind is light and from the SSE or ENE, you get clean cross-off conditions. That’s the ticket here. The swell direction from the SW and WSW is straight into the exposed reef, and since the optimum direction is SW, any of those pulses are hitting it right on the nose. Crowds are a factor here, as it’s reef and it gets busy. Expect company, especially on the good days.

This is Rusty, signing off.

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