Montanita Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's get into it.

Look, honestly, the next week and a half is a bit of a write-off for Montanita. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak, and messy conditions starting now. From Monday the 17th right through to about Friday the 28th of August, there’s nothing really worth getting excited about. The swell is tiny, mostly under 3ft, and the wind is either cross-onshore or onshore, keeping things choppy and blown out. The combined wave energy is weak, sitting around 100-200 for most of those days, which is barely enough to push a foamie. There’s a stretch from Saturday the 22nd to Tuesday the 25th where it’s particularly flat, with swell heights dropping to 1ft to 2ft. You’d be better off with a snorkel than a board. Even the water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing weird there, just a pretty dull run of weather.

The first real glimmer comes on Friday the 28th of August. The morning is still marginal, but by the afternoon the swell picks up to 3ft from the SW with a 16-second period. That’s a proper long-period groundswell, and the energy jumps to 576. The wind is light and onshore, but it’s a step in the right direction. The best hope is Saturday the 29th of August, even though it’s still marginal. The swell is 4ft from the SW and the period is a solid 16 seconds, with strong energy pushing 828. That’s a decent size for Montanita, with some real grunt behind it. The wind is light and cross-onshore, so it won’t be glassy, but it’ll be cleaner than what we’ve had. This is a reef and point setup, so that long-period swell should wrap in nicely, giving some longer rides. It’s an advanced spot, and with the swell just over 5ft, it’s going to be a bit too much for beginners. Crowds are often here, so expect company.

The standout is Montanita on Saturday the 29th of August. The swell is 4ft from the SW, with a 16-second period, and the combined energy is 828. The wind is light and cross-onshore, so it’s a bit of a compromise, but it’s the best we’ve got. The long period means sets will be clean and powerful, but it might break a bit straight on the beach. It’s a reef and point, so it should handle it well. If you’re an advanced surfer, this is your window.

After that, it fades again into the first of September, with small, weak swells and poor conditions. The long-range call on the 29th is promising, but you know how it is – a week out, it’s not locked in.

Rusty.

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