Montanita Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on offer for Montanita over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with ya – it’s a pretty slow start. The first few days are looking marginal at best, with a light cross-onshore breeze messing with things. Small swell, nothing to get excited about. We’ve got a bit of a wait until things clean up. The water temperature is sitting at 79°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – a solid 8° above average, so you won’t need a wetsuit, that’s for sure.

Now, the standout window shapes up around Sunday the 5th. That morning, we’re looking at some long-period groundswell coming in from the SW at a solid 16 seconds, with a combined energy of 795 (moderate) and a clean 3-foot swell. And here’s the kicker – the wind goes glassy. That means utterly smooth, clean conditions at the break. This is the best bet on offer. The swell direction is lining up perfectly with what Montanita likes. Keep in mind, this is a reef and point set-up, so those long-period waves (16 seconds) will wrap in nicely and offer up some proper shape. It’s an advanced wave though, so if you’re not comfortable with a little power, sit this one out.

Monday the 6th still has some juice, with the swell bumping up to 4 feet by the afternoon and a very long period of 18-19 seconds. The combined energy climbs to 1006 (strong), so there’s plenty of push. Winds are light and variable, but trending onshore, so it won’t be as pristine as Sunday morning. Still, for the experienced crew, there’ll be some hefty lines rolling through.

After that, things start to taper off. Tuesday the 7th holds around 4-4 feet but the onshore flow picks up a touch, and the quality slides back into marginal territory. From Wednesday the 8th onwards, we’re looking at a long stretch of weak, short-period swell and mostly onshore or cross-onshore wind. The combined energy drops into the low hundreds and even below 200 in some spots, meaning the surf will be weak and messy. Most of those days are scoring zeroes on quality. There’s a gap of poor surf from about the 8th right through to the end of the forecast period.

To be honest, the only real standout is Sunday the 5th morning. If you can get out there, that’s your session. Glassy conditions, a solid SW swell, and that point break will be reeling. After that, it’s a waiting game. Crowds can be an issue here often, so on that Sunday, get in early.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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