Montanita Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Lookin’ at what we’ve got cookin’ for Montanita over the next couple of weeks… and, gotta be honest, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Montanita’s a reef and point setup, exposed to the SW, which is the optimum direction, but the winds are mostly cross-onshore or onshore, and the wave scores are low across the board. There’s no real standout session here—conditions are generally marginal, with a few poor ones thrown in. The water’s about 78°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year—a solid 9°F warmer than usual, so you’ll be in boardshorts or a spring suit for sure.

The first recommendation pops up on Wednesday morning (September 2nd) with a 3ft swell from the SW, a long 12-second period. Combined swell energy is moderate at 456. Winds are slight from the SW at 3 mph, so it’s glassy, but the wave comment says “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” It’s not terrible, but not worth paddling out for unless you’re desperate.

From there, we slide into Thursday and Friday (September 3rd and 4th) with similar sizes—3ft to 5ft—mostly from the WSW, periods 16 to 18 seconds. That’s long-period groundswell, which usually means better shaped waves and longer gaps between sets, and Montanita’s reef and point setup should handle it nicely. But the wind is cross-on or onshore, keeping things choppy. Combined energy climbs into strong territory on Friday afternoon (1214), so there’s plenty of juice, but the quality isn’t there.

Saturday (September 5th) through Monday (September 7th) sees the swell drop back to 3ft to 4ft, with periods still in the 13 to 14-second range. Winds are light, but mostly cross-onshore. Still, it’s all “marginal” or “poor” in the wave comments. Crowds at Montanita can be “often,” so expect company even when the surf’s ordinary.

The second week (from September 9th onward) is pretty flat or weak. Swell heights hover around 1ft to 4ft, with periods varying, but the energy drops to weak levels (235 to 405). Winds stay light but cross-onshore. By September 12th, things are really poor, and from the 13th to the 17th, it’s just tiny, weak waves—1ft to 2ft—with long periods of 18 to 22 seconds, which is more like a lake than a point break. Not worth getting wet for.

So what’s the best on offer? Honestly, Friday afternoon (September 4th) has the most size at 5ft from the WSW, with that strong combined energy (1214), and it’s a rare moment of onshore wind from the WSW. But the wave comment still says “marginal.” You could also sneak out Thursday morning (September 3rd) with the 3ft swell from the WSW at 18 seconds, light cross-onshore—it’s not clean, but it’s the least ugly. For beginners, the 5ft is borderline too big, and over 8ft? Forget it—that’s expert territory only, but we don’t see that here.

If the wind was clean, Montanita would handle that long-period SW and WSW swell beautifully on its reef and point. But with mostly cross-onshore and “marginal” tags, it’s a tough call. Crowds are likely, so if you do go, expect a wait. I wouldn’t hold my breath for the second week—there’s a real gap of poor conditions from September 12th through the 17th. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing given the steady wind and moderate energy, but that’s just my gut.

Rusty.

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